Our Nightmare
by rainbowthefox
Summary: Sally moves in with the man of her screams. But there is still so much she has to learn of Halloween Town, and what it's like living with The Pumpkin King. A sequel to Two Dearest Friends, where the Christmas incident never happens. But there are still many ends that haven't been met, and much for these two dreamers to learn as they start to spend their deaths together.
1. Her First Night

**A/N:**

_Hello! Before you read this story, I highly recommend you check out the source story, Two Dearest Friends, which you can find on my profile or here: s/13211120/1/Two-Dearest-Friends_

* * *

The Skellington manor has only housed 2 residents in most of its existence.

The 3-story mansion equipped with a large observatory atop has only ever sheltered Jack Skellington and his ghostly pet, Zero. It comes to no surprise that the house wasn't expecting the softer pair of footsteps that came in one fateful afternoon. The moment Sally Finklestein steps into the Pumpkin King's manor, there's an audible groan that sounds from the floor, accompanied by the walls making sudden, sharp creaks. The ragdoll freezes in fear. But as her foot lingers longer on the tiled surface, the noises stop and she is left to listen to the sudden silence in its absence. She turns to the skeleton watching from the doorway, not knowing how to express the right confusion from such a situation.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asks, her voice quiet and polite as usual. Jack shakes his skull and approaches one of the walls, patting it a couple of times and smiling weakly.

"No, no of course not. The house just needs to...get _used_ to you, is all. It settles when it's comfortable."

"I didn't know houses can be aware like this..." She remembers the time he invited her in for tea, but doesn't recall anything peculiar. "It didn't make those noises last time I was here."

"It understands the difference between a guest and a resident. It's sentient, and very, very courteous. It won't do any harm to you, I assure."

She relaxes as he smiles at her, and watches as he picks up the boxes that were situated by the front door. She is suddenly reminded of why she's even here. After years of a long, eventful life living with Doctor Finklestein in his tower after being created by him...she is now moving in with Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. Her mind scrambles trying to recall everything that's happened prior to this moment - when she was first kidnapped by Oogie Boogie, saved by the skeleton himself, getting a tour of Halloween Town, finding Jack in the Graveyard and befriending him, experiencing a long yet blossomed relationship with the man...they started as friends and grew to something closer than that, then eventually, they became a couple. Everything about it was simply beautiful to Sally; how she turned from an imprisoned slave into a free spirit with a purpose.

How could she forget the first time she stepped out of that tower, when she saw Jack's smile, and all of the times she left everything she had to endure just to see him again...She had only dreamed of him reciprocating her love, showing him how much he means to her, and sharing a domestic life with him...she wanted it badly, and just today had she been presented with this opportunity. Nothing could've made her more happier. And how ironic, it seemed, that this decision was only supported by the Doctor because he had a **replacement** for her now. He had no use for Sally anymore, and handed her off to someone else. She was very lucky that happened to be Jack. She was more than fortunate to be with the man who did everything for her.

The skeleton steps around her and heads through a doorway. She quickly follows after, carrying a box of her own. "-I decided on a room for you already. I figured the stairs would be too much of a hassle for you, so I found a bedroom on the ground floor."

She blinks her eyes, marveling at the old chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the many paintings they pass. "How many floors _does_ your house have?"

"Three, if you include the observatory. But don't worry. I try to keep all the necessities downstairs. There's mostly bedrooms and guest rooms on the second floor, so you won't have a need to come up that often." He stops once they reach a door at the end of the hallway. "-This is it!"

He hesitates to put his bony hand on the doorknob, looking over at her uncertainly. "Would you, uh, mind waiting _here_ for a minute? I didn't exactly have the time to prepare the room. I'm sorry for being so unprepared, but I hadn't expected-"

"No, it's okay. I didn't plan on this either, otherwise I'd be more ready myself." She sets the box down carefully and sighs in relief. "Take your time, Jack. I'll wait out here."

He gives her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Sally...Don't be afraid to look around, get curious about things. Technically, this is _your_ home now, too, so I want you to get used to the place."

"I will."

He gives her one last nod before leaving into the room, which she only gets a glance of before he hurriedly shuts the door. She waits a few moments before turning around and admiring the long hallway. There is a red rug on the floor with intricate designs of spiderwebs on it. Her attention is suddenly brought to the walls, where she now notices a collection of framed pictures hanging in neat patterns with one another. She admires them all as she walks carefully on the rug, humming in curiosity. Most of them are old photographs of Halloween Town. She catches one of Jack and the Mayor standing in front of the Town Hall shaking hands, and smiles to herself. She admires him for keeping such history of his town in his own home.

The longer she follows these photos, the more she finds of Jack himself. He's in various ones surrounded by other people, mostly his citizens and coworkers. But then Sally would find one of him by himself, or just him and Zero. There were times when his smile was big, and where it wasn't very enthusiastic. After knowing him for so long, she was able to recognize it. A troubled frown comes onto the ragdoll's face as she stops at one in particular, which is a picture of Jack sitting at his desk, turned around to smile at the one taking the picture. But there is something gloom about his posture, and something sad in his eye sockets. She holds her small hand over the picture and feels her chest grow cold.

'_He looks so...lonely._'

She doesn't feel as excited to look at the rest of the pictures, so she turns around to look at other things instead. She adores the wallpaper in these hallways - it's of a crimson color with elaborate, yellow lines that break the color. The design reminds her of the fancy castles she used to read about - the exact ones kings and queens would live in. In fact, everything about his mansion reminds her of someplace..._elegant_, and tidy. It makes sense that the Pumpkin King would inhabit such a place like this. Nothing like the old tower she lived in before, that was always so suffocating, cold, and had leaks everywhere. The walls and the floor were made of metal there, but in _here_, the ground was warm and the walls felt inviting. Everything in the Skellington Manor looked absolutely well-kept.

_'It's all so homey_', She thinks. '_A gentlewoman would be suited better here than me, that's for sure..._'

A voice suddenly breaks her thoughts:

_"Sally? It's ready now, if you want to see it!"_

She hurries over to meet with the skeleton, who happily clasps his hands together once she's in front of him. He doesn't look anything like how he did in that picture she saw. _'Which is a good thing, I guess...'_ She notices the door is closed and all of her belongings are brought in already. He clears his throat as he rubs his palms together, looking like a child excited to show something he had made.

"I think you're going to like it! I made a few touches here-and-there, though I'm sure you won't even notice them." He eagerly swoops over next to the door, fingers caressing the doorknob. "Now, close your eyes and wait until I say you can open them..."

She does as she is told, giggling slightly at the idea that the unveiling of her room has to be some sort of grand surprise. She listens as he opens the door and feels his hand gently guiding her forward on her back. She plays his game and takes a few steps in his direction until he stops her, then closes the door behind them. She can't help but feel giddy in this time, wondering what her new room is going to look like. She already knows it's going to be nothing like her old one, and yet, the curiosity is still gnawing at her leaves...

"Alright, you can open your eyes!"

Immediately, she opens them. And as she does, her jaw falls open in utter shock. Before her is, in her opinion, a room fit for a _princess_! Due to the high ceiling, there is a beautiful collection of cobwebs that hang above a queen-sized bed. It leaves enough space for a nightstand to rest on its left side, with a beautiful lamp and small clock. Across the bed is a vanity desk that contains a mirror, tall enough that she can see herself in, and enough room to work on whatever she desires. Beside that is a large bookshelf filled to the brim with dusty novels. She approaches it and glances at some of the titles, smiling when she notices that most of them are fictional romances. The exact type she loves to read. There are so many on the shelves...she could be reading for _days_!

When she turns around, she notices there is a petite desk next to the covered window with her sewing machine on it. Unlike her old one, there is plenty of space for her to set all the materials where they need to go, and there is even a mirror on the wall for her to check her work. She walks over to admire it before bringing her attention over to the window. She finds the curtains are closed, and gently opens them to reveal whatever is beyond it. This causes her jaw to drop once more - as she is provided with a beautiful view of Halloween Town. Since the manor is raised, she can see the roofs of all the houses and the streets from above. She had a similar view from her tower, but this one isn't obscured by the bars on the window. She has a perfect view she can see out of anytime. And to think, it's right by her desk, so she can gaze outside while she works!

"Jack, this is all so lovely..." She confesses. "I-I don't know what to say."

He starts to tsk. At her confusion, he simply smiles. "You haven't seen your new closet yet, have you?"

She blinks several times, wondering how in Halloween she could've missed her closet! The skeleton slides open a large door to reveal a spacious closet beside her bed. She finds the dresses she made are already hung inside, handled with great care. There is plenty of space for new ones and even a proper place to put her shoes in. She approaches it in awe and leaves her hand to trail along its side, imagining filling it with all the new creations she's bound to make. She sees nothing but a blank canvas laid right before her, and Jack seems happy as he taps his finger on the wall, watching her gawk at the room.

"I thought you would appreciate a room that felt like it was for you. You didn't have an awful lot in your last one."

She turns to him and smiles. "Well, the Doctor only gave me what _he_ thought was necessary..."

"You mean a bed that looked like it would snap in half at any moment, and a closet that could barely fit three days worth of clothes?" He crosses his arms. "I have to disagree."

"I'm not sure if I deserve a big bed like this, or such a view, or...any of this, really. I don't need much, and I don't want to ask too much from y-"

"-_Shh sh sh._" He lays a bony finger over her lips. "All of this is for _you_. You have your own space now. And anything you need or want, I will happily get for you. You have as much right to a decent bed and your own hobby like anyone else. And I don't want to hear otherwise."

Her eyelashes brush against the tip of his finger as he brings it away. "Thank you, Jack..."

"Alright, then." He steps back and grins, opening the door and motioning outside. "I'll show you a bit more around."

She was happy to skip to the door and follow Jack around his mansion. He did as he promised, giving her a small little tour of his home and informing her where things were. There was a bathroom just down the hallway she was roomed in, and she wasn't very far from the kitchen. The living room and den were close from there, and everything else seems to be upstairs. She follows him above as he briefly shows her his own bedroom, which, she finds, has a respectably king-sized bed. There were even more stairs after that, and she grew a little fatigued as she stepped through a spiral one, before finding that she was standing in the middle of his study. The same room she used to watch him pace around in for hours when she was back in Finklestein's Tower, watching his silhouette through the windows...

After looking at all the projects he had laying around in there and admiring the highest view in Halloween Town, Jack helps her down the staircase to show her a few things they missed. She was having a hard time coming to terms that _this_ is the house she'll be staying in from now on: an exquisite, 3-floor mansion filled to the brim with rooms and fancy things...she'll be sharing it with The Pumpkin King, and she'll be seeing these things every day from this day forward. It makes her excited, but under that, she feels a familiar insecurity brewing in the pit of her stomach...

* * *

By the time their little tour is finished, Sally collapses on one of his couches, wanting to take a break from all the steps and stairs she endured from this hour alone. Jack, meanwhile, is still musing about something with a skeletal finger propped on his jaw. He eventually shrugs and smiles happily at his girlfriend, who opens her eyes after she finally has her breath back.

"-And I think that's just about it!" He announces happily. "Do you have any questions, Sal? Before it gets too late?"

She glances out of a nearby window and notices that it's already night time. There was a lot that happened today, yet the time still feels like it flew right by. She lets out an exhausted sigh as she sits forward, trying to think of anything she is curious about. There's plenty, but now isn't the time to pester him with 20 questions. They both need a lot of rest after today, and in the morning, they can talk about things further. _For now...she had at least one question that was bothering her._

"Yes, I was just wondering..." She brings her gaze up to lock with his. "What are the rules here?"

"Hm?"

"You know, the rules you have for..._staying_ here." She plays with her fingers. "How often do I need to do the dishes, when your meals should be cooked, what time I'm allowed to get up and go to sleep..."

The skeleton looks bewildered. She sinks into her shoulders, feeling embarrassed for asking such a thing. It just felt so natural, and like she was suppose to ask. Was it the wrong thing to say? Or did he truly not know the answer?

"There...are no rules. None whatsoever." He takes a seat next to her and holds her hand endearingly. "Sally, I'm not the Doctor. I'm not going to give you a million of chores you have to do just at the expense of living here. I want you here, and you shouldn't feel obligated to do _anything_ for that."

Her eyes widen. "You mean, you don't _want_ me to cook, or clean, or...or make your clothes?"

He shakes his skull. "Not really. If you'd _like_ to do those things, then I won't stop you, but...you don't **have** to do them. Those things may have been a little tough for the Doctor to do, but I am able-bodied and I'm capable of cooking and cleaning like you are."

"I...I wasn't expecting that answer." She confesses.

He leans forward and leaves a kiss on her cheek, making her blush slightly. "-You don't owe me anything, and I want you to remember that. As long as you're comfortable, healthy, and happy here, that's all I ask. It's about time someone took care of you for once, rather than the other way around."

This makes her smile, and her leaves grow tingly. She lets out a content sigh as he pulls back. "You're right. I guess I'm just so...so _used_ to being around the Doctor that...I don't know what it's like to live any other way."

"Well, we're going to change that. From now on, you don't have to worry about any of those things, and I'll be here for you. I'm ready to share my death with you, Sally. I certainly hope you're ready to share it with _me_?"

"Of course, Jack...I couldn't ask for anything better."

* * *

Jack Skellington prepares to rest for that night, and ensures that his partner is more than comfortable. He leaves her after she's settled in her bed and heads for his own room, where he leaves his door cracked open in case Sally needed him at all during the night. He promised her she could call for him, and he was more than prepared to fend for another person after so long. That thought buzzes in his skull as he changes into his sleeping clothes, laying in his bed and staring at the ceiling. A very prominent thought resurfaces in his mind, and he's left to dwell on it for the night.

_Sally is living with him now._

It's almost the same feeling as when Doctor Finklestein first mentioned it to him. After being alone for so long, living only with his dog for years...now they have another person in their home. And it's not a guest or a mere visitor; it's the love of his death sharing the same space as him, and only a floor down. This was the least he could do for her after she got kicked out of her last place as soon as it was decided that the Doctor didn't need her anymore. '_This is his loss._' Jack thinks to himself. '_Sally is talented, kind, and sweet...having her around is going to be the best thing in my death.'_

And what a thought that was...no longer will his mornings feel so empty and cold, and he won't have to come home to a nearly-empty mansion anymore. He's going to have _her_ to listen to, _her_ to see and hold, _her_ at his side when he needs her most. It's felt like ages since he's had something like this to look forward to, and now that things were so much easier...he wasn't going to let any moment go to waste. He's going to cherish this ragdoll, show his love and appreciation for her, and take good care of her on the account that she hasn't had a very good home life before. He's going to do everything for her, and ensure that she is his top priority at all times.

He drifts off to sleep thinking of everything he is going to do for her, and how better his death is going to be after this night. He looks forward to the morning and wishes it could come sooner - so he can see her beautiful dark eyes again, and hear her soft voice the first thing after the skeletal rooster crows...

* * *

Sally Finklestein flutters her eyelashes after she finds her room engulfed in the pumpkin sun. The air feels only slightly musty as she rises from her bed and lets out a small yawn, blinking her eyes several times in an attempt to clear her vision. She recalls sleeping almost perfectly in her new bed, the mattress comfortable and her pillow so soft...the blanket was actually big enough to cover her whole body, and not once did she toss and turn in her sleep. It was unusually quiet this morning. This is new to her, as she would usually hear the Doctor screaming at her for his breakfast by now, and Igor would've surely waken her at such an hour like this.

She tosses the blanket off of her as she takes a weary step on the floor. She feels so well-rested, it almost makes her dizzy! She trudges on despite this, and gently opens her door. The sound of something sizzling comes down the hallway, and she curiously follows it. The closer she gets to the kitchen, the more she can make out the smell of something sweet - something that makes her tongue water, and her nose curiously inch more towards the source of the smell. When she peeks her head through the doorway, she finds a skeleton standing in front of the stove, one hand holding the handle of a pan and the other shoved in his pocket.

She quietly attempts to step in the room without catching his attention, but he happens to turn his skull in her direction. She freezes almost instantly - a habit thinking she had been caught. But after finding a large smile on his lips and hearing a cheerful hum, Sally relaxes.

"Awful morning, Sally. Did you sleep terrible?"

"Just horrible, thank you." She blinks curiously as she comes to his side, peeking at what was in the pan. She is surprised to find a couple slices of toast. "What are you making?"

"'_Pain perdu'_...or, as some call it, 'French Toast'." He reaches over to grab a plate. "I picked up this recipe from the human world. I'm wondering if you'll like it." He turns and motions towards the other room with his skull. "I made you a plate already."

She follows his gaze and notices a doorway leading into the dining room. She heads in and finds a plate of toast that has been sitting on the table. She curiously heads over and takes a seat, grabbing the fork and poking curiously at the bread. It certainly smells sweeter now that she's in front of it, and just staring at it is making her mouth water...she eagerly takes a bite and _'mmm'_s almost immediately at the taste. It _is_ sweet! And it has just a little bit of syrup, cinnamon, and sugar coated on top...she begins to eat the rest mindlessly, not noticing how hungry she was.

Jack comes into the room and sits across from her, setting down his own serving. Sally notices that he's already dressed in his pinstriped suit while she remains in her pajamas. She shyly brushes her hair as he sits down, and sets her fork down as she thinks of what to say. This is their first morning they're spending together...and, already, it feels so much better. She didn't have to make breakfast, and for what awaited her that day, she had no clue. She was just relieved it wasn't chores or cleaning!

"Thank you for letting me sleep in." She tells him quietly.

"You needed the rest, with everything you've been through." He wipes his mouth with a napkin. "It is still rather early, anyway."

"Really? I'm surprised to see you awake and dressed already."

"I'm used to getting up the moment the sun rises. I have to wake early to work with the Mayor every morning."

"Oh..." She looks down and plays with her hands under the table. "I'm not taking you away from work right now, am I...?"

"Not at all! I wanted to make you something because I had a feeling you'd be wake up famished. Neither of us ate last night." He points to her plate with his fork. "How is it, by the way? Terrible?"

"The worst." She grins. "Thank you, Jack...it's delicious. I'm not really _used_ to anyone making breakfast for me."

The memory of Finklestein making a meal for her once surfaces in her mind; the indescribable. awful food on her plate...she winces at the image. She's grateful her boyfriend _knows_ how to cook properly. This won't be something she has to worry about every morning anymore, desperately working over the stove just so she doesn't have to worry about her disgruntled creator. The skeleton finishes his serving and sets his plate to the side.

"-Well, you _might_ want to adjust. I enjoy cooking."

She smiles and finishes her food while the skeleton sits there, looking away in thought. It's only after her plate is empty that Sally realizes there is much to talk about with him. So much has happened yesterday, and while she already feels comfortable in this new environment, there are still other matters to handle. Ones they've neglected for awhile, and have been meaning to get around to.

"Jack, I want to thank you for everything last night, but there are other things on my mind, too." She brings up slowly. "I think we should tell the town about us already. If we don't, then me living here may look a little suspicious, or raise a lot of questions with our friends and the citizens..."

He brings his attention to her and nods. "-That's exactly what I was thinking! You and I were talking about...a meeting, weren't we? Where I called everyone for some Halloween announcement and finally tell them? I still think we should do that."

"I do, too. If only what happened with the Doctor hadn't gotten in the way..." Her gaze comes down as she mumbles quietly. "I wish he had taken it much better than he did..."

She finds his bony hand over hers, urging Sally to look up at him. The skeleton gives her an assuring smile. "What's important is that it's _done with_. The Doctor knows, and you're living with me now. If anything, that makes this a whole lot easier."

"Yes, that's true...he was the first one we wanted to know, anyway, wasn't it?"

"That he was. And now everyone else can! Well, besides the Band." He sits back in his seat and thinks for a moment. "I'll go ahead and schedule one today. You're going to be there, right?"

She plays with her hair, nodding slowly. "Of course I'll be."

"Great! You'll know when it is; I'll be sure to send the Mayor out to announce it. He'll be going around town soon if things go as planned."

He collects both of their plates before disappearing into the kitchen. Sally frowns and stares at the tablecloth while he's gone. She wonders how the meeting will go, and if her presence will complicate anything. She knows the females will surely be disappointed, especially the admirers of Jack. She quietly fears if any of them will take it out on her - but the better part of her thinks otherwise. Halloween Town is full of kind, generous citizens from what she's seen. They'll surely be respectful about her and Jack's relationship, won't they?

The skeleton suddenly comes back in the room, tugging at his sleeves as he lingers by the doorway. "-Well, I should be heading off, now. I need to catch up with the Mayor and explain my absence. The first thing I'll do is schedule that meeting."

She gets up from her seat and nods. "That sounds like a good idea."

He looks at her and smiles, turning to face her. "I guess I'll be seeing you there, then?"

"I guess you will."

He stand there idly before walking over to her and leaning forward. She gets the hint and raises her head slightly to kiss him. It was a gentle. And every passing second where their lips interlocked, it assured Sally that things are going to be okay. That she had absolutely nothing to worry about so long as she had this man by her side. Her best friend...her **lover**. They're going to get through this together, no matter how it turns out. She already feels immensely protected. Jack eventually pulls away and gives her one last smile.

"You'll be alright without me here?" She nods. "-I'm sure you know where everything is. Help yourself to anything in the meantime. I can't wait to see you again."

He heads for the door and dips his skull before leaving. As the door closes behind him, the ragdoll stares at it for a few minutes. She listens as his footsteps climb down the stairs, then silence ensues after. She clasps her hands together and squeezes them, rocking on her heels gently. Her leaves start to swell anxiously as she sits down, and she spends many minutes staring around the room hoping, quietly, that things will go alright.


	2. The Big News

_**"I can't wait to see you again."**_

How true those words rang in his skull...he's only said them a few minutes ago, yet they still hold so much meaning. The Pumpkin King briskly makes his way into Halloween Town after passing through the gates of his home. His stride is confident and he wears his usual, outstretched smile as he passes by his citizens. It's almost second nature for him to greet anyone who addresses him, and execute it all in a chipper manner. That has always been a habit of his, but _this_ time, there is no underlying sadness he is attempting to conceal. The way he presents himself feels...more _true_, now, to how he's always wanted to be. And he only has Sally to thank for that.

He feels particularly happy as he approaches the Town Hall, and opens the doors eagerly to get inside.

It was only a week ago that Jack had been hesitant to do something like this. He recalls spending a long time pacing around his study, wondering how exactly to break this news. He knew the situation was complex from the start - to his people, he's always been seen as a bachelor. That's why he's had so many women around him before, many of whom treated him with the upmost admiration and even coquetry. But he always had a _'thing'_ for his personal space, and never quite expressed interest in eligibility to those who imposed themselves on him. It rather gave him a sour taste in his mouth, just thinking about it...

_'But things are different now. Oh, so different...'_

He knows there will be disappointment. Outrage, maybe. For those who have endlessly asked for him before - all, in which, he politely declined. But now Jack Skellington knows he's in love, fallen skull-over-heels for the Mad Scientist's creation. Sally is the sweetest, most caring person he has ever known in a long time. He has great expectations that the town will see the same things in her, and come to appreciate her for them as well. It's because of this self-assurance he is able to stroll backstage with anticipation, scanning the room in search for his coworker so they can get things started immediately.

He finds the politician at his desk, scribbling away mindlessly as he always is. The skeleton clears his throat as he approaches him, hoping his sudden appearance won't end in frantic interrogation. The Mayor jumps at the sound and whips his head towards the source of the noise. His face clicks to the side wearing a grin. He happily hops down to meet with the man below. The first thing he does is reach out to shake his hands - the usual greeting they shared every time they worked together.

"Jack! I was so worried when you didn't come in first thing this morning. I was hoping you'd come around before I'd have to find you myself!"

"Thank you for that, Mayor. I apologize for not meeting with you. There are a few things I need to tell you..."

The shorter man perks up. "Oh? And what would that be?"

He holds his breath for a moment. This isn't just his colleague, but a friend of his. He knows it would be right to tell him the truth, but the Mayor doesn't exactly have a reputation for holding secrets for very long...He has to bite his tongue as he goes with what he originally intended, letting go of the smaller hand and cocking his skull to the side.

"You see, I had an epiphany the other day with the Halloween planning! The citizens _must_ know of my ideas as soon as they can. I need to know what they think before I start arranging anything. Would you mind calling for a town meeting immediately?"

"-Immediately!? Why, this must be important! Very important, indeed!"

He runs over back to his desk and grabs the megaphone sitting atop. Jack grins as he watches him rush out of the room, presumably to get to his hearse as soon as he can. The skeleton tugs at his sleeves as he mentally works through how he will execute this meeting. How he will break the news, and ensure it's in a way that won't put Sally or himself at risk. He may have to actually come up with a genius Halloween idea, but _that_ wasn't very difficult. What else the meeting is going to be about, however, certainly will be.

_'It IS going to be tricky..._' He mulls to himself, scratching at his jaw. '_But I know how I can make this work...'_

* * *

**"TOWN MEETING! TOWN MEETING IMMEDIATELY! JACK REQUESTS WE ALL BE THERE AT ONCE!"**

Sally jumps when she hears the Mayor's voice from a nearby window. She rushes out of the room and glances outside, only to see the citizens emerging from their homes and graves. They are all walking towards the Town Hall. She can see them speaking with each other, whispering and laughing. The ragdoll removes herself from the window as she starts chewing at her nails, preparing herself for what's about to come. Not that she hasn't already been doing that for the past half hour, but she still feels a little nervous...

After some words of encouragement from herself, Sally holds her breath as she finally pushes through the doors of the Skellington Manor. By this point, nearly everyone is already inside of the Town Hall, so she doesn't attract any attention as she goes down the stairs and through the gates. She hurries to get there so she won't miss any second of it. She goes through the open doors and finds that it's crowded already, much like the last time she had been to a meeting. Her eyes scan the crowds before she finds a familiar tree sitting in the back.

She approaches him and taps on his bark, smiling in relief when he turns to look at her. The Hanging Tree's sockets widen in surprise. It has been awhile since they've seen each other - seeing her friends was difficult when the Doctor locked her away completely from the outside world. So much happened after that, and she didn't have the time to go out of her way and apologize for her sudden disappearance. This makes her weary as the Hanging Tree observes her, but then he smiles, and his skeletons follow suit. They all look particularly happy to see her.

"Why, Sally, it's been quite some time! We hope you've been alright?" He asks.

"I've been through a lot. But I didn't mean to disappear from you like that. I'm very sorry I haven't been seeing you all much around." She plays with her fingers. "I must be an awful friend."

"Not at all! I understand, really. We were just hoping you were okay after not hearing from you for so long!"

She smiles. "I am doing much better, thank you. I...didn't think you'd worry about me."

"Nonsense. I'm always worrying about my knitting buddy while she's not around." He motions to branch atop. "Would you like a seat? I can tell you aren't going to find one in this room!"

"That'd be perfect...thank you, again."

The hanging skeletons help Sally up, and she happily sits herself on his branch. She gets comfortable and sighs in content. Her friends truly _do_ care about her. Already can she feel her life getting so much better. She has a loving and wonderful boyfriend whom she's living with, in such a comfortable and spacious home. And her friends still care about her deeply...how can she not feel content? It lowers her stress as she glances about the room, wincing only slightly when she sees all the females sitting in front. She hopes they won't be too distressed by the news...or that anyone will be, for that matter.

The room eventually shushes down when Jack comes through the door. The whispering and movement cease as he arrives to the podium. The Mayor turns on the spotlight from above, aiming it at the skeleton with careful hands. Everyone is completely silent as they wait for the Pumpkin King to begin talking - of what wonders he's thought of for Halloween this year, and what might have been so urgent to call them all at once...

"Horrible afternoon, everyone! Thank you all for making it here. I'm sorry I had to call this meeting out of the black, but there are some important things I must tell you all."

Sally scans the crowds as Jack talks, blanking out what he's saying. She isn't surprised when she doesn't find Doctor Finklestein anywhere. Not like _he_ would need to be here, anyway - he's well-informed about the situation already, and she already knows how he reacted. This causes her eyes to fall to the ground, and she frowns slightly. It's only when she hears Jack moving that she moves her eyes back to the stage, finding that he is addressing the crowd with a bright grin, pointing at some of them.

"-Yes, exactly! Black goo would _work!_ Which is why I think with _just_ the right amount, you can really get the effect of..."

_'So he is distracting them with a Halloween idea_'. She has no clue how long it'll be until he changes subjects, and her nails start digging into the bark as she waits. The longer she has to sit there, the more anxious she grows. She wants to get this over with. Have the black cat out of the bag already so they no longer have to hide themselves. So Jack will stop having those women invading his space, and she will be able to hold his hand without worrying about others seeing. This makes the ragdoll smile, and she eagerly listens as Jack carries on with the meeting.

"I digress, folks. While this brainstorming has certainly been enlightening, there are some..._other_ things that this skeleton has been keeping in his closet." He clutches the podium for a moment, smiling as he observes the crowd. "-I want you all to know that I am courting a woman."

The crowd gasps in surprise. They look at each other and frantically begin whispering. Sally can hear the voices, and most of them sounding confused. She pays no attention, as her stitched grin widens on her face. She looks at Jack with adoring eyes, elated that their secret has finally been revealed. He catches her look and returns the smile, the two of them sharing a fond gaze between the unknowing pairs of eyes. Suddenly, questions begin to called out from the crowd, snapping the two of them out of their daze.

_"-But with WHO?" "How long has this been going on?" "Who is it, Jack?" "I'm so happy for you!" "Where is she?"_

"-Everyone, _everyone_! I will answer all of your questions in time, but before I do, I want to make it **very clear** that this woman _is_, indeed, in this very room right now."

Sally watches in awe as the skeleton steps down from the stage, and starts walking down the aisle. His gaze is fixated on hers, and she keeps her stare locked with his. Everyone is completely silent as the Pumpkin King approaches the Hanging Tree. He moves his skull up so he can properly look at the ragdoll, then he offers her his hand. She feels bewildered as she stares at him, but then he gives her that assuring smile of his - the one that always sends goosebumps along her skin. She smiles and takes it, only to find that he pulls her down so he can lock his lips with hers. Her eyes widen before she naturally relaxes against him, and tenderly kisses him back.

Neither of them can see the awe-stricken faces of the citizens, nor can they see the enraged looks from the women. All they focus on is each other, and what they're sharing right now. She feels almost disappointed when he pulls away, but they take a moment to stare into their eyes longingly. Sally suddenly remembers how far they have come - from the time she first attended a town meeting, to where they are now: sharing a kiss in the same spot she sat in, hoping to just see his face. She sighs, and feels like a great weight has finally been taken off of her shoulders.

The room is filled with various noises, some cheers and others snarls. Jack and Sally finally turn to face the room, finding most of the citizens clapping and grinning. Sally, however, notices the glares from the witches and other fans of his. She sinks into her shoulders as she waves weakly to them. She then brings her attention to the rest of the room. To the people crying out their support for the Pumpkin King and his girlfriend; the people she has known and seen for a long time, standing by their side. Even the skeletons from below are clapping, and she can see the Hanging Tree grinning widely. She feels a tear escape from her eye: a result of pure bliss.

The voices come back: _"-See? I TOLD you Jack had a lady friend!" "Good for you both!" "I can't believe this...!" "Jack, you look so happy!" "She's awful; she's just perfect for you!" "-Jack's in love with the Doctor's girl!?" "Sally! You got a good catch!"_

Jack turns around and grabs her from her seat. She lets out a surprised noise as she's gently guided to the ground. She clutches onto his side once she's down. She smiles nervously and waves at everyone around them. She still can't believe how much _support_ they're getting! Well, ignoring the hundreds of daggers glared her way from the front row, that is...

The skeleton leads her to the stage, and she makes no move of protest. It only makes sense, seeing as she's the center of attention right now...as much as she thought she would've hated this, it feels almost...soothing. To be holding Jack's hand as they're both under a spotlight, with so many cheers being sent their way from the crowd. She stands proudly beside him as they look at the audience. It's now that she's face-to-face with the witches and admirers in the front. She waves at them again, but they all look away from her and scoff. Jack doesn't notice this as he sneaks his arm around her waist.

"Yes, I am courting Sally Finklestein. I think it's fair to let you all know that this isn't something new. We have been romantically involved for quite some time now. We were keeping it from you all purely for personal reasons - but now we're ready to tell you all that we are in love, and we ask for your respect and consideration for our relationship."

They're met with applause again, letting them know right away that they are accepted. They do, however, find a few claws and hands raised in the audience. Jack nods his skull in the direction of one, and they find a curious citizen scratching their head.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but..." The ghoul looks between the two uncertainly. "Wasn't Sally the _Doctor's_ wife? There were so many rumors in town about it, and I just don't understand..."

"Oh, yes! I meant to mention that." Jack hesitates to answer. "While the Doctor _intended_ on marrying Sally, it was never official, as their certificate wasn't properly...**signed**." Sally frowns at this. "-So, no, my good man. They were never married."

Another paw shoots up in the air. The Werewolf scratches at his fur. "I'm just wonderin' on what made you change your mind, Jack? You said you didn't wanna get into the dating pool, right? Well, now you got a girlfriend, so..."

"I had intended for that, yes, but...Sally is very special to me. It was..._simply meant to be_." He turns and smiles at her. "She helped me realize a lot of things about myself. One being that I wanted to have love in my death. But a special kind. One I only wanted to share with _her_."

They hold hands. She melts all over again. Some of the crowd coos. They find another hand raised and acknowledge them. This time, it's one of the admirers sat upfront. The Sea Gal raises herself in her seat, eying the two with slight suspicion. Finally, she asks, "-And how exactly did you two meet?"

The skeleton opens his mouth to reply, but, to his surprise, the ragdoll answers instead. "-Jack rescued me when I was taken by that Bug King. He visited the Doctor's to welcome me into town after that, and we started talking since then."

The citizens start murmuring among themselves, remembering the incident all too well. Jack and Sally find more hands raised in the crowd, and both of them take the time to answer any questions from curious monsters. They are surprised to find how respectful the inquiries were, and despite the sour looks tossed in her direction, Sally doesn't receive any harsh words from the females. She feels very uplifted and hopeful from their reactions - hearing many words of encouragement, support, and adoration for their relationship. She wonders why they ever waited for this, feeling rather ridiculous for being fearful of the reactions...

As they continue to answer these questions, she turns and relaxes against Jack, already knowing this is going to change their relationship for the better.

* * *

The meeting eventually ends after the citizens' curiosities are appeased. Sally purposely lingers with Jack as they're waiting for everyone to leave, but stops to say goodbye to the Hanging Tree. She's surprised to find a wide grin stretched on his bark, all of the skeletons holding their hands together adoringly. She steps forward, but she doesn't need to say a word. An unison of congratulations is immediately sent her way, by the skeletons and their tree included.

"I can't believe it, I just truly can't!" He looks between the two several times. "Hearing the Pumpkin King has a girlfriend, and it's Sally...I don't think anyone saw it coming!"

"Then we did a great job on keeping it a secret." Jack replies. Sally brushes her blood hair behind her shoulder as she giggles along.

"We are very happy for you two. Sally is the sweetest person I know, and very talented, may I add! I hope nothing but for the worst for you both."

"Thank you...it means a lot hearing that from you." She comes forward and holds his hands. "You were one of the first friends I made in town, you know..."

"-And how far you've come! Not everyone gets to say they've won the undead heart of the Pumpkin King."

She glances back at Jack and blushes. The Hanging Tree bids his goodbye as his skeletons wave while they leave the Town Hall. As soon as they're gone, the Pumpkin King glances down and notices the smile stretched on his girlfriend's face. He rests his hand on her shoulder, and she places her palm over his fingers. It's silent as they take in everything that had happened during that meeting - but for the important part, their secret os out. Everyone knows about _them_. And for Jack, that is more than a relief. It felt so easy for him to spill everything out that he had been holding in - and for it to be received the way it was, he feels grateful for it.

"I think we should start heading home. That was a lot, wasn't it?" He asks. She looks at him slowly and nods, squeezing his fingers.

"Yeah, I think we should, too. There's...a lot I want to talk about with you."

He smiles. There was a lot he wants to say, too. "-Let's start getting back, then."

The two of them leave through the back way, as to not draw any additional attention. While they're in private, they share another kiss. It feels different doing it out in the open rather than behind closed walls like they had been so used to before - or sharing all of their tender moments in the Graveyard. Jack slumps against her as he finds his posture relaxed. As they break away, he trails his hand on her skin and brushes the hair out of her face.

He opens his mouth to tell her what's on his mind, but finds that it's actually empty. _Peaceful._ For once, he is not thinking of Halloween, its planning, or anything else that stresses him out - he feels completely at ease as he stares at Sally's face. She looks just as content, judging by the way her eyes droop and how her hand caresses his palm in thought. Neither of them say anything in this comfortable period of silence, enjoying their existence out in the open for once. They eventually pick up their walk after a few minutes of holding each other, and intend to return to the Skellington Manor as soon as they can.

It's not long, however, before they find three familiar faces leaning against the wall. When the Halloween Town Band finds the Pumpkin King heading their way, they prepare to greet him. But when they find the Doctor's creation at his side, they grow smug smiles instead. The two stop to greet them, figuring this is more than an appropriate time to speak to their friends. James looks more than happy as he shakes Jack's hand, and winks at the woman lingering to the side.

"We heard 'bout th' meetin'! Congrats on tellin' the town, you two!"

"We were wonderin' when you'd spill the poisonous beans." John comments. The skeleton chuckles.

"It was all in due time. We had a setback, as I'm sure you know...but now we finally told the town, and things _couldn't_ be better!"

Sally comes forward and suddenly hugs the three. They return the embrace, and she smiles to herself. How supportive all of her friends are being for this...it feels almost natural for her to thank them, figuring they were the only ones keeping the secret as well. She removes herself and holds her hands together, wondering just how she could properly show her gratitude.

"Did you attend the meeting?" She asks. They nod their heads, much to her relief.

"We were in the back. It got so crowded by the time we were there, we couldn't find a seat." Jimmy shakes his head. "You two took those questions very well. Like you rehearsed the whole thing."

"I wish that were possible." Jack smiles weakly. "It was hard to tell _what_ was going to happen. I thought for sure there would've been a few that were upset..."

"'Course they're upset! Dolly stole our beloved King here so easily while _they've_ been tryin' fer **years**." James teases. "I bet'cha they're jus' keepin' it to themselves. I wouldn't feel so sure if I were ya'."

Sally frowns. Jimmy notices this and leans forward. "-But we know you two can handle it. Your relationship's the strongest we've seen! I'm sure no jealous ghouls are going to ruin that for you."

This relieves the two of them. They speak more with the Band, the conversation mainly consisting of their absences. It was a little painful for Sally to explain how Dr. Finklestein locked her away from the outside world completely. She recalls how upset she had been through the entire process, and she feels a little guilty for not looking out her window often for the three. They forgive her regardless, and shared their sympathy. Jack _especially_ isn't a fan of how sad she describes herself in that time. He ensures he is holding onto her side as the two of them finally begin their way home, rubbing her arm softly.

"Are you alright?" He asks. She nods her head but doesn't say a word. "-I know how tough that was for you. It was hard on me, too. I can't imagine what talking about it is like..."

"I'll be alright, Jack. So many good things have happened today; I just can't see anything getting in the way of that."

His chest warms. They've reached the Skellington Manor at this point, and he happily offers his beloved his skeletal hand. She giggles as she takes it, allowing him to graciously help her up the set of stairs and to the door. He's very open about this as he does it - no longer having the fear of being spotted holding this woman's hand, and knowing that they are free to express themselves now. He feels ecstatic as they climb the steps, and feels the anticipation gnawing at his bones by the time they reach the front door.

* * *

Jack decides to end his work for the day there, seeing as the meeting is done. He returns once to the Town Hall so he can answer any questions the Mayor has. He finds that the shorter coworker has many, and spends a good hour or two answering them. They are out of good-nature, much to the skeleton's relief. Most of the inquires are about work and if his relationship would affect it at all - to which the answer was a firm 'no'. He did make it clear that Sally is going to be his top priority from now on, and while that news makes the Mayor a little anxious, the Pumpkin King stands firmly by it.

They end their conversation on good terms, as the Mayor wishes the two of them horrible luck and for the worst. Jack thanks him and quickly returns home, wanting to see his beautiful ragdoll by his side again. And he gets that wish when he finds her at the front door waiting to greet him, hugging him tightly as she leaves a trail of kisses on the side of his skull. He relaxes against her and sighs, letting all of the stress out of his bones as he melts on her.

"I think we should take it easy today," She whispers to him. He nods rhythmically, her words soothing him almost naturally.

"We should."

He lets out a noise when he feels her soft hands start massaging his sides. The smile grows on his face as he digs his head into her shoulder. _God, how badly he has wanted this._ Holding her in his arms, hearing her voice, seeing her before him...knowing she's safe, loved, and happy - that's all he ever really wanted. He doesn't know how he can feel any bit upset with her around like this - it's merely been more than a day, and yet, it already feels like she's been here for years...

"You're tense," She comments quietly, digging her fingers further into his bones. He shivers. "When was the last time you relaxed?"

"The last moment we were together." He leans back and holds her hands. "I feel completely at peace, believe me. I've just kept so much stress in these old bones that I haven't even noticed it."

She grins at him coyly. "Well, I think I can take care of _that_..."

His eye sockets widen in pleasure. Before she can do anything, though, he leads her over to the couch in their sitting room, setting her gently on the cushion. He decides the best way they can get comfortable is by first warming the old mansion. She watches as he kindles a fire. He returns to her side after it's done, sitting as close as possible to her on the couch. She leans forward to nuzzle the tip of her nose against his bone, relaxing her shoulders as she feels the fire start to warm the room. They both begin to close their eyes as they inch closer to one another, their lips merely inches apart-

_"Arf! Arf!"_

The familiar sounds of barking interrupt the two, momentarily getting them to jump. But then they see the hollow eye sockets of Jack's dog, Zero. Sally grins widely as he comes flying over to her, and reaches her hands out to pet him. The ghost whines as he rubs his head on her cheek, showing that he greatly missed her. She closes her eyes as she trails her hand on his sheet, feeling the same way for him.

"Oh, Zero! I couldn't find you the other night," She tells him. "Where were you?"

The dog whines as he tilts his head. Jack decides to answer for him. "-He was most likely in the Graveyard. He'll usually spend his time there if he's not around the house."

He suddenly realizes something. The skeleton leans forward and wraps an arm around Sally's shoulder, tugging her closer. Zero watches the two with curious eye sockets. Jack turns to the dog and grins, ruffling his head with his free hand.

"Say, I didn't break the news to you yet, did I, boy?" The ghost shakes his head. "Well, the big news is...Sally's going to live with us! You're going to see a lot more of her around from now on! No more waiting for her by those graves, or sneaking into her room."

The pet jumps in alarm and sharply turns his head to the ragdoll. She laughs and nods her head to confirm the news. The dog yaps in excitement as he comes forward to lick her chin. Sally continues to laugh in delight as the dog wags his sheet, attempting to nuzzle every part of her. He's eventually ushered down by Jack, who whistles and points by the fire. The two watch as Zero gets comfortable by the hearth, looking at them with a wide smile on his muzzle.

"I think he's happy with the news." The skeleton informs her. Sally nods in agreement.

"I sure hope so; I couldn't live here knowing if I didn't have Zero's permission!"

The dog barks a final time before resting his head down, leaving the two of them alone for the time being. She turns to Jack and resumes what she had been doing before - carefully massaging her thumbs in circles along his back. The same noise escapes the skeleton's throat as he leans forward, succumbing to the heaven her hands are working on him. She grins in delight as she brings the massage lower, attempting to get all the tension out of his bones. Every time she hears a _pop!_, there's a slight sigh of relief she can hear from her boyfriend. Eventually, she gets all of them out as she finishes his small massage, resting her head on the side of his shoulder.

His eyes are drooping as he bows his skull. "Thank you..."

"Anything for you, my Pumpkin King."

His phantom heart skips a beat at her words. He looks at her for a moment before laying himself down on the couch, moving Sally with him so she can rest her head on his chest. He feels her entire body weight shifted on him as she relaxes. The two close their eyes and enjoy the warmth from the fire, listening to the cracks and pops in the silence. Occasionally, it's interrupted by the chiming of a clock - but it doesn't stir either of them. They continue to lay there, enjoying this new reality that both of them have longed for their entire deaths. Having the love of his death on his chest, laying by a comfortable fire with his good pet at their side...it's like he's only _dreamed_ of this moment.

Jack runs his hand through her yarn hair, admiring her face as she rests her eyes. "-They love you."

She opens her eyes. "Who?"

"Who do you think?" He chuckles. "-The Town. The people. They like you."

She looks away from him, biting her lip shyly. "..._Most_ of them do. And I hadn't expected that..."

"Well, why wouldn't they? You're beautiful, you're smart, you're caring, and you're sweet...I think anyone can know that just a mile away."

"Maybe you're right. There were people there I haven't even met that were very supportive..." She thinks for a moment before laying her head back down. "-Jack?"

"Mm?"

"Even if they didn't...would you still feel this happy?"

"Of course I would. The whole point is that I'm with _you_." He nuzzles her forehead with his nasal bone. "The meeting was just letting them all know that. I don't need anyone else's approval to be with you."

She shuts her eyes again. "That's relieving..."

He kisses the tip of her scalp. "-It's **true**."

They spend the rest of their afternoon lounging together, refusing to separate from the other. In this time, they speak quietly with each other, mentioning anything that is on their mind. Eventually, their words turn into soft murmurs as the afternoon turns into evening. Jack suddenly feels the fatigue hit him, considering this is the most relaxed he's felt in years. He blinks his eyes open several times as he glances down, and finds Sally has fallen asleep on him. He smiles as he brings his arms around her, holding her close and relishing their contact for several minutes more.

"I love you," He whispers into her ear. She stirs slightly, but there's no response.

_He doesn't even need one, anyway._


	3. Jealousy

The Pumpkin King is surprised to find that he sleeps in the next morning, waking only when the sun manages to peek through his closed curtains. He surfaces from his sheets and stretches, hearing several of his bones popping as he rolls his skull to the side. A blissful sigh emerges from his lips as his frame relaxes. He wonders why he feels so good until it hits him. _That's right._ Sally gave him that massage last night, didn't she? That must be why he slept for so long; he's never felt so much tension leave his body before...

Jack climbs out of his bed to change into clothes, leaving himself in his undershirt as he heads downstairs. He's in the middle of buttoning it when he brings his skull up to find a figure already sitting on the couch. She's brushing her hair and staring out of a nearby window. The smile grows on his face as he hurries along with his shirt, rushing over to meet with the woman. She glances up when he's a foot away, her eyes drifting down. He notices the dampness of her hair, as well as the few droplets of water trickling along her cloth skin. He leans down and lays a kiss on her scalp, placing a bony hand on her shoulder.

"Good morning, Sally. You're looking refreshed!"

She smiles as he pulls away. "I used the shower in your bathroom. I've been waiting to dry in the meantime."

He takes a seat beside her. When he turns his skull, he finds the window beside her open, allowing the sun to seep in and soak into her skin. He admires the way the sunlight reflects off her skin, as well as the few glints of the droplets still left on her frame.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about that," He brushes a strand of her hair behind her ear. Still a little moist. "-I was wondering if you'd find any _use_ out of that restroom..."

"I can wash, but not that often. It takes forever for me to dry." She wrings her yarn hair to get the rest of the water out. "How did you sleep?"

"Very good, actually. I don't think I've slept that soundly before." He pauses before giving her a smirk. "-And how did _you_ rest, my dear? If I recall, you slept for a good hour on my chest."

He can see the red tint on her cheeks. "I slept as good as my first night here. But it was more comfortable, how I feel asleep..."

His bones tingle in delight. He comes forward and leaves a kiss on her scalp, musing to himself how lucky of a man he is to be with this woman. He stands from the couch and makes his way into the kitchen, where he plans to prepare them a quick breakfast for the morning. _'I really should set us down together sometime and have a nice dinner...'_ He thinks to himself. He grabs the ingredients from the cupboard and listens to the humming from the other room. His frame naturally relaxes at the sound of her voice - reliving the moment where she sang to him, hoping, deep down, that another day like that will come...

Eventually, he finishes a couple servings of eggs and brings them to his beloved in the den. She thanks him as she begins eating. She compliments his cooking once more, and he thanks her warmly. Everything about the situation feels great for both of them - being comfortable enough to eat like this together already. Sally hopes things will only get better from here; that they can share peaceful meals all the time and she won't feel fatigued from slaving over the stove like before.

"Do you have any plans for today? I'm curious on hearing them if you do." Jack brings up as they finish their breakfast. She sets down her fork and thinks for a moment.

"Well, I wanted to go into town today, and start buying some supplies to sew with...with all that space, I want to start working on some new clothes right away!"

He chuckles at her enthusiasm. "That's great, Sal. You found somewhere to get supplies?"

"Not exactly. I'm hoping to find a place." She notices the frown on his skull and her posture deflates. "What's wrong?"

"-Well...Halloween Town doesn't exactly HAVE a seamstress anymore. We used to, years ago, but...she moved away, and there hasn't been a place like that in town since." He can sense her sadness and places a consoling hand on her back. "But I'm sure you can find a place that offers some fabrics or sewing supplies! I know the Town Hall has some extra supplies laying around..."

"I guess I can give it a try, anyway. It's been awhile since I've been out in town by myself." She rubs her arm before slowly dragging her eyes to his. "-Wh-when can I leave...?"

"What was that?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to say that." She squeezes her eyes shut. "I'm used to asking the Doctor when I want to go outside..."

The skeleton frowns as he notices the frustration building for her. He leans forward and rests his arms around her, bringing Sally into a close embrace. He feels her relax in his grip and inhales, presumably the cologne still lingering on him from the other night. He runs his fingers on the back of her head, humming in delight at their contact. They both relish this moment of ease, and she doesn't think of what she just said or why she said it. All she knows is that Jack is here, and he's allowing her more freedom than she's ever gotten.

"You've got all this time for yourself now, Sally. You can spend it however you want, _wherever_ you want. I'd just like to know where you are so I don't have to worry if you're not here." He presses his lips on her forehead. "And just to let _you_ know, I'll be in the Town Hall if you need me at all today."

She winces. "-And interrupt your work?"

"You are much more important to me than that." He pulls back to look her in the eye, touching the tip of her nose slightly. "I'd drop everything for you in an instant."

She grins and closes her eyes as he taps her nose again. "Thank you..."

* * *

The ragdoll bids goodbye to her Pumpkin King as he leaves for the morning. She refrains departing from the mansion right away, deciding to make a small list of what she will need for everything she wants to make. Fabrics are definitely her priority right now, but more sewing needles wouldn't hurt, and she lost a thimble a little while ago...Her lips drop into a frown as she writes this all down. How can she even FIND these things if there is no seamstress in town? Or anyone else with this hobby, for that matter? The only one she knows is the Hanging Tree, but he must be busy with other things...

By the time she is ready to go out, she has her basket in hand with her list in the other. She hopes to at least carry _something_ in it by the end of the day. She takes her time walking down the Manor's staircase outside, and opens the gates to Halloween Town. There are people out today=. The ragdoll wears a smile as she passes by fellow citizens. Most of them return her greetings, the Corpse Family happily waving to her and some of Jack's previous friends acknowledging her as they pass by. It leaves her feeling confident as she approaches the shops and stands she's seen before. Her eyes lead their way to _Witches' Goods_, the only shop she recognizes.

The ragdoll wastes no time entering through the open doors, hesitating as she peers around inside. Nothing much has changed since her last appearance here - which, come to think of it, has at least been a couple of years ago! Deciding she is far overdue visiting here, she begins to walk around the shop in search for anything she can use. After minutes of searching, Sally unfortunately falls short as she can only find potions, magical items, and a few miscellaneous things she can't identify. She turns her head and notices the Witches sitting behind the counter up front, in the middle of a conversation, giggling to themselves quietly.

Sally sighs in relief as she approaches them, clutching the basket in one hand and waving with the other. "Hello...I was wondering if I can have some help?"

Helgamine and Zeldaborne glance towards her. Their eyes dart to each other as the smiles fall off their lips. The ragdoll tightens her grip as she lets her arm fall, and watch as they turn to her with sudden smug smiles. She recalls them being very talkative from their previous encounter. Seeing them fall silent upon greeting them gives her this uneasy feeling...

"Why, sister, look! It's Sally! The source of _all_ the talk in town today!" Helgamine drags her gaze to the shorter witch, who chuckles in reply.

"It sure is! I can't say I'm surprised she hasn't changed from those **rags** she wears all the time." Sally quickly glances down at her patchwork attire. "-What do you want, Doll?"

"Um...I'd prefer it if you called me Sally." She nervously corrects, hesitant to come any closer towards them. "I was just wondering if you had any cloth to spare? Or any sewing supplies at all?"

The sarcasm is apparent in the reply. "Now, why would we have any of that?"

"Well, I'm not sure. If not, I would like to know who _does_. Can you tell me?"

The Witches look at each other again, and already can the taller woman sense this will not end kindly. They remove themselves from their seats as they approach her with their hands behind their back, eying her frame from head to toe. She bows her head down and turns red when she hears them laugh. What could be so _funny_?

"You might want to think of fixing your stitches first! All of them just look so ugly...and not in the terrible way! Why, any second it looks like you'll just _fall apart!_"

A long hand shoves her to the side. Sally regains her balance quickly and steps back in surprise. That's when she finds Zeldaborne down at her feet, touching the ends of her dress and scoffing. "-I don't know why Jack fell for you! You dress like you live on the streets! He should be with someone much more proper."

All of these words sting deeply. She can feel her chest growing cold and her throat too hot to form any words. She feels defeated when Helgamine narrows her eyes at her, leaning forward a little too closely for her comfort.

"And why did he pick _you_, anyway? We've known him longer than YOU have! You've been assembled for...what? A few years now? Why would he be with a woman who looks more like a human instead of a monster?"

One word manages to leave her dry throat. "What...?"

Zeldaborne snickers. "Yeah! You don't look scary at all! I bet you wouldn't hurt a rat!"

"-Why would she, when she's so ugly that the rat would just run away?"

"Haha! Good point! Jack's going to grow so bored of you knowing you can't scare. He's the most terrifying man around, and he doesn't need someone like you slowing him down!"

By this point, she can feel the tears threatening to leave her eyes. She wants to defend herself; assure them she can be scary and that Jack truly does love her despite everything...but she knows her words will fall on deaf ears. The two continue to laugh at her as she stands there, dumbfounded, and quickly decides enough is enough. She darts out of the building gnawing at her lip, knowing that if she lets herself stay still, she will break down crying. And she can't do that in the middle of town...not when she just left such a good impression at that meeting!

The further Sally goes into the crowds, the more she sees the distasteful look from some of the women. The Undersea Gal scoffs at her as she walks by, causing her to sink her head into her shoulders. Then some of the other ghouls give her sour looks and one even bumps her side as she walks past them. Sally notices the loose seam on her arm from the encounter and stops to tighten the stitch. As she does, she looks up and finds the same group of women smiling in delight at her struggle. A huff leaves her ruby lips as she quickly finishes the job, and she darts away from the crowds.

She doesn't really know where she's going. Anywhere people can't see her, she supposes. But the longer she leaves herself alone with her thoughts, thinking about what those witches said to her and all the distasteful looks she got in town...the more horrible she feels. Her whole body turns cold and she suddenly has an urge to go home. To hide behind those walls and never come back out...so those women can have what they want, and for her to suddenly disappear from everyone's deaths. Her leaves feel fragile as she approaches a building, and she slowly moves her gaze up to see where she has led herself:

The Town Hall.

Sally vaguely wonders what brought her here, and then it dawns on her. _Jack is inside._ The man of her screams, the one who told her she can come to him if anything happened...he's only a few steps away, and her body knows she wants to see him. He's the only source of comfort to her right now, and she kunderstands if she flees to their home and locks herself away, it would only be the same as when she lived with Finklestein.

Holding her breath, she climbs up the steps and opens the door slowly.

* * *

The tall skeleton is in the middle of his work before the Mayor comes into the room, carrying a small stack of papers with him. He glances from his desk and watches as the papers are set on the corner of his workspace. The coworker grins as he pats the top of it with his small hand, looking rather proud of the new paperwork he's leaving for The Pumpkin King.

Such a sight would bring some slight discomfort to the skeleton before - but now that he has someone to come home to after all of this is done, and he doesn't feel stressed one bit. In fact, he finds himself looking _forward_ to wait awaits him in that pile. He feels greatly motivated by Halloween again; a spark that has left him for years, suddenly ignited again...and all because he's **happy**, now. He simply couldn't ask for anything else!

"-And here they are! All of the new Halloween ideas, freshly printed! They need your signing, and then we can move on." The Mayor tells him with pride. Jack pushes aside the stack for now.

"Great. I'll get those done by the end of today."

"Horrible! Thank you, Jack." He begins to leave the room until he suddenly stops. Even with his gaze down, the skeleton can hear his faces switching. _This must not be good._ "-Oh, by the way...I could have sworn I heard a woman crying somewhere outside! And it didn't sound like the _pleasant_ types of cries...I tried to find out who was out there, but I couldn't find anyone! It's gotten quieter now, but still..."

"A woman crying?" He repeats, taking his attention away from his work. "Goodness, I hope they're alright...I better check to see if there's anyone out there."

"Awful idea, Jack! I'll be in here if you need me. I hope whoever it was just had a terrible fright!"

The taller man nods in his direction as he leaves the room. As he scans the rooms, he tries to listen for the source of any crying. He comes to no luck with anywhere inside, and decides to bring his search outside of the Town Hall. He catches the sounds of sobs as he inches closer to the back door. He opens it and peers around - eventually finding a ragdoll bunched up beside the set of stairs. For a moment, they both grow quiet. Sally looks up, surprised to find the concerned face of Jack looking down at her. He quickly shuts the door to approach her.

"Sally! Are you alright? What happened?" He asks, offering his hand. She observes it for a moment before wiping away her tears, slowly taking it and allowing him to help her to her feet.

"Oh, Jack...it was _terrible!_ I went into town today to find what I needed, and the worst thing ha-happened..."

He notices her distress and decides to go somewhere they can have some privacy. He knows just the place and starts patting her back as he leads them down a trail. She looks confused the farther they go from the Town Hall, but when she turns her head and finds the gates of the graveyard, she relaxes her shoulders. Jack leads them both to the spiral hill, where he carefully sets her down first before sitting himself next to her. There is barely any space between them - he ensures they have contact the entire time of consoling her.

"Now, isn't that better? No one can hear or see us." He brushes her hair aside. She sniffles and nods slowly.

"Thank you...I'm sorry I had to come like this. But I couldn't...help it..."

More tears emerge from her eyes. Jack frowns and gently guides her into his arms, letting her weep on his chest. He's sad to admit that such a thing has happened before - Sally has been through a lot, and her best comfort was letting it all out on his shoulder. He doesn't mind when he feels her tears wet his suit, and brings his arms around her to keep her in an embrace. They remain like this for a few minutes until her tears run dry. She finally leans back to look at him properly, the sorrow still apparent on her features.

At her silence, he prods. "Now, what happened to get you so worked up...?"

"I went to the witches' shop to ask if they had anything I needed. What a _mistake_ that was..." She looks away from him. "Instead of helping me, they started saying all of these awful things about me...li-like I wasn't scary, and that it-it was a mistake for you to be with me..."

"Sally-"

"-I _know_ it's not true, but it hurt to hear those things. And I feel even worse for leaving. I couldn't say anything to them. I just..._left._"

Jack remains silent for a few moments as he watches her look at the ground. Here he was, thinking the town took their relationship greatly with how they talked to them yesterday...yet, that was far from the truth. The band really was right. All of the jealousy was pushed down, and the witches found an opportune time to take it out on Sally. _'Well, I'm not going to have any of that._' He thinks to himself. _'No one should think they can talk to her like this and get away with it. Not even if it's my own citizens...'_

He takes her hand holds it endearingly in his, moving his skull closer to her. "I am so sorry that happened to you...Sal, I _promise_ you I'll talk to them and let them know right away that they can't speak this way to you."

"You know I appreciate that, but it's not just them saying those things. I'm...I'm upset that _I_ couldn't tell them that." She squeezes his hand hard. "I couldn't stand up for myself..."

"Don't be so hard on yourself...it hasn't been that long since we've told them. You shouldn't have to deal with this with everything else going on. I don't want you to be burdened with something I can easily fix while you're adjusting to moving in with me."

He leans forward to kiss her forehead, and she shuts her eyes tightly. He's right. She has so much she already has to deal with...this jealousy from some of his fans shouldn't concern her so much. Not when she knows he'll come in and do the right thing. He's only showing his protection and care for her, and she should be grateful for that. Maybe some other time she'll have to try gaining the same confidence as him...

"Thank you. I'm sorry you have to deal with this, Jack. I didn't think-"

He covers her lips quickly with his finger. "-No, no...you don't have to apologize for a _thing_. I should have known better than to assume EVERYONE would be fine with this...I'm just going to have to give them a good talk to get my message across so you won't have to worry about this anymore, Sally."

Before she can rebut, he quickly adds, "-Your safety is my responsibility. I don't want you to feel like everyone is upset whenever you're in town. You deserve to live a comfortable life, and I'm going to give that to you."

And just like that, she feels the sadness dissipate. She thanks him by lunging forward and hugging him tightly, so much that she starts to feel her seams loosen. A tear manages to escape from her eye, but she can't help it. She feels so grateful for this skeleton man caring so much for her...He truly understands how much she is going through and is willing to do anything to help her. She suddenly understands that coming to him was truly the best option.

* * *

He spends time with Sally until she feels comfortable enough to return to their home. He ensures she is alright before they depart. The Pumpkin King immediately makes it his goal to confront the witches before returning to work. It isn't a very merry trip as he comes into town, and while he greets anyone he passes by politely, he understands he won't be as kind as soon as he's through those doors. He even goes to the extent of closing them once he's in _Witches' Goods_, and starts looking for the sisters right away.

They are in the back of the shop laughing and gossiping. Jack doesn't mind interrupting them as he suddenly rounds the corner and clears his throat to get his attention. They are understandably taken by surprise and jump in alarm. The moment they see his hollow eye sockets, they relax and start smiling, even cooing slightly. The skeleton frowns as they begin to flutter their eyes, already acting completely innocent on the outside.

"Why, Jack! What a horrendous surprise!" Helgamine giggles. "What can we do you for?"

"I think you have a pretty good idea on why I'm here."

Zeldaborne plays dumb, resting a finger on her chin. "That can't be true! We're always honored when you stop by for a surprise!"

He cuts to the chase. They'll try to distract him otherwise. "-Sally was here today, wasn't she?"

"_Who..._? OH! You mean the ragdoll!" He arches a socket at that wording. "She came in here asking if we had _sewing supplies_!"

"CLEARLY we didn't have any! We sent her on her way."

"Yes, but according to her, you said some very insulting things before she left. I'm just wondering on what you said to her...?"

Helgamine playfully pushes his arm. "Come on, Jack! It's not that big of a deal! Maybe she got hurt over some things we said, but we didn't really mean them!"

"She came running to me, _crying_. That's not just 'some things'. I want to know what you said to her that could have hurt her so badly."

Zeldaborne rolls her eyes as she caves in. "All we said to her was that she wasn't scary and she shouldn't be holding you down like she is! Which is true! You're the most terrifying man out there! And she's..._well..._"

"-And maybe we mentioned a thing or two about her stitches and the way she dresses...very odd, that is!"

He frowns. He can already understand how badly that must've came from their mouths, and how Sally took it...he feels awful for letting this happen. How could his own citizens exhibit such behavior? Most of them were the friendliest out there; their whole motto was NOT to be mean or cruel! The Pumpkin King crosses his arms as he lets out a dragged sigh. Even if he's known these women for longer and highly respected him...he can't let something like this slide. He couldn't die with knowing this is how they treated Sally.

"You know I admire you ghouls-" They fawn over this, which he ignores. "-And you've known me for quite a long time-" "_We sure have, Jack!_" "-Then you should know that I will not tolerate this behavior, and I'm going to politely ask you both to give Sally your respect when she's around."

They both gasp. Helgamine is especially shocked. _"-What?_ But she's...not SCARY! How can we sit here and not say anything while you're with someone who couldn't even-"

He holds up a hand. "-I'm stopping you right there. It doesn't matter how Sally _looks_ or whether or not she can _scare_...you should still respect her because she's a citizen like everyone else. She's been through a lot more than you think she has."

"But-"

"-_But nothing._ I know you girls can be so much worse. Frankly, I don't understand why you're acting this way to her." They open their mouths to respond, but he already knows the answer. "-Sally makes me a very happy man, and the least I'm asking is for you both to be happy for me. And if not, then I will seriously be thinking of excluding you two from this year's Halloween for showing such nasty behavior."

"No! You can't do such a thing...we promise we'll be better!" They plead.

"Then I better not hear of this happening again. And while you're at it, talk some sense into the others who feel this way, too. I'm sure you've convinced them of such untrue things already."

Feeling his patience running thin, he starts to leave their store. His point got across and he doesn't feel like listening to their excuses anymore. This entire situation frustrates him, and he wishes not to deal with it again. Before he can take a step out of the door, he feels something clawing at his leg and glances down to find Zeldaborne clinging on it. The look in her eyes is desperate as he urges her off.

"Please, Jack, don't be upset with us! We didn't mean to hurt Susa- _er_, Sally's feelings! We didn't think she'd take such things that way..."

"Yeah!" Helgamine chimes in from behind. "Most people take such things as a _compliment_! It's like telling the Wolfman's his breath smells like the sewer!"

"Sally understands things a little differently. All I ask is that you be patient with her. That means not saying anything that sounds insulting." He places an exhausted hand on his skull. "I'll give you two the benefit of the doubt, but from now on, don't treat her any differently than you would with _me_."

"But she's not-"

"Someday, she may be your _**Queen**_." They turn silent at this. Even Jack finds himself in a knot as the words leave his tongue. He clears his throat. "Have a horrible evening, ladies. I hope not to talk about this again."

He leaves the store with no interruptions this time, except something feels different about his rib cage. He chooses to ignore the feeling as he begins his way home.

* * *

He finds Zero waiting for him the moment he opens the door to the Skellington Manor. The dog barks happily at his master as he watches him pass by. Jack hangs up his suit and goes to the couch, feeling much too exhausted at that moment. As he rests his skull on the cushion, he suddenly feels the presence of someone nearby and opens his eye sockets. That's when he finds Sally looking down at him. She leans forward to leave a kiss on his skull.

"Are you hungry?" She asks. He sits up in his seat.

"It's been awhile since I ate. Why do you ask?"

"I want to make us some dinner tonight. As a 'thank you' for talking to the witches." Her look turns concerned as she rounds the couch to sit by him. "How did that go, by the way...?"

"Well, they certainly understand it was wrong of them and I am sure they won't be doing it again." Something about talking about it makes his bones grow cold. "I hope that's the only talk I needed to have with them."

"Did they say they were sorry..?"

Jack suddenly feels very stupid for not making them apologize for such an ordeal. But it shouldn't have been to _him_, anyway. It should rightfully be face-to-face with the woman they insulted.

"No, but why don't you come on by their store tomorrow and ask? I'm sure they will."

She looks very hesitant with the idea, but nods anyway. "Alright. I'll do that tomorrow...hopefully they'll help me with what I need..."

"I certainly hope they can. They shouldn't be an issue for you anymore. I'm sorry that had to happen."

"It's alright. I suppose I can look forward to trying to make them my friends, then..."

He closes his eyes and smiles. Sometimes he wonders if she has the heart he's missing. Sally suddenly stands from the couch and dismisses herself into the kitchen, where she presumably is going to start on their supper. Jack starts a fire in the hearth while she is busy, and watches the flames dance around in silence. Eventually, the sky turns dark outside and the room is illuminated in oranges and yellows. Zero lays by the hearth and begins to nap, leaving Jack alone with his thoughts.

He can't get his mind off of what he said to those witches. Had those words truly meant to leave his lips? Had he even _thought_ of such a thing prior to that moment? Something just upset him hearing Helgamine and Zeldaborne speak of Sally like she meant nothing...when, really, she meant _everything_ to him. They've known each other for a long time now, and while they've only moved in together lately...it felt like he's loved her his own death.

He brings his gaze to the fire with three words in his mind:

_A Pumpkin Queen..._


	4. Loose Ends

**_A/N:_**

_SO sorry for the near-month wait for an update!_

_A lot has happened...what with COVID-19, quarantine and all...it's had my attention elsewhere, and I was gone for about 4-5 days spending some time with my loved one. I have thought a lot about this story in the meantime, and it was hard getting my creativity back with everything happening. But I'm here with an update finally, and I hope to get a feel for the story again soon so I can start getting things really going._

_Please remember to take care of yourselves and wash your hands often! Refrain from touching your face with unclean hands, practice social distancing, stay indoors, and follow the other procedures! We'll all get through this. I hope my writing can provide some entertainment in the meantime. _

_I sincerely hope the next update is soon, and please enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

Since the dining room is merely a doorway's worth of distance from the kitchen, Jack Skellington is able to listen to all the commotion coming from the other room. He listens to the clanking of pots and pans and running water as he attempts to finish his work for the night. It wasn't the most _proper_ time to work on his Halloween planning(_he usually saved his space in the observatory for such things_), but he had quite a bit on his mind after speaking with the Witches. It distracted him when he returned to the Town Hall, and while he initially promised the Mayor that he'd have _everything_ done by the end of that work day, he found he still had a lot of unsigned papers he had to get to.

He supposed it was killing two crows with one stone, as he needed something to pass the time with while waiting on their first dinner together. He taps his feathered pen on the paper a few times as he listens to the sounds of Sally humming. He lifts his skull up to peek into the other room, and can only find her red hair standing in front of the stove.

"Would you like any help, my dear? I know this is a new kitchen for you, and it may seem a little hard to find some things..."

Her sweet voice replies, _"Oh, no, thank you. I found everything I needed."_

He leaves it at that and scribbles away at some documents. Sally must be ensuring everything is thoroughly cooked, as she gets through the meal as patiently as she can. This gives him just enough time to finish signing the last document before the ragdoll enters the room with a couple of plates ready. He pushes the paperwork aside and leaves room for her to set his serving down before him, thanking her with a smile and leaving a small kiss on her wrist. She blushes and sits across from him, setting down her own plate and observing the awaiting meal.

"Spookghetti and eyeballs?" Jack asks as he twirls the pasta in his fork. "A classic!"

"I hope you like it. I never got to make food like this very often..."

She watches as he takes his first bite, and relaxes her shoulders when he enjoys it. Unlike the Doctor, he doesn't appear to scrutinize the food as he continues to eat. She catches herself worrying so much that she neglects her own plate in front of her. She takes her first bite of the food, and is surprised at the taste. It really _is_ good! And there's just a hint of spice somewhere that makes her mouth water.

"-Let me guess, is it because Finklestein only liked soup all the time?" He asks, biting softly on an eyeball. She nods and takes a second bite, chewing quietly.

"He did let me cook new things, but I think he liked soup the most."

The skeleton chuckles. They continue to eat in comfortable silence. This is very new for Sally, as her previous dinners were very tense and consisted mostly of hoping the meal was good enough. But with Jack - she can tell he enjoys it, and not once does he look at her sideways as he eats. He's smiling and glancing up at her only to share a tender gaze: adoration, and appreciation for the dinner. The ragdoll sets down her fork for a moment and sighs in bliss, taking a drink of the juice she brought for herself in one of his glasses.

"Thank you, Jack. Really. For what you did today. This dinner was meant to show that, but...I really enjoy sharing food with someone like this."

"Did you and the Doctor ever eat together..?"

"I tried not to." She confesses with a frown. "Most of the time, he wanted his soup in his laboratory while he worked. Whenever we had to sit down at the table together, I never ate very much in front of him."

"I hope you're not shy with me. The last thing I want is for you to starve!"

"Oh, don't worry, Jack...it feels much more comfortable, now." She takes another bite in front of him for effect. "For one, you're not telling me how I could've improved this meal..."

"Why improve something that's already so wonderful?" This makes her leaves flutter. "Thank _you_, Sally. I really should be sitting down and eating more like this..."

Things go quiet, but only because they are finishing up their meal. Sally works at a slow pace while Jack is already close to cleaning his plate. When he's nearly done, he suddenly gets a very strange feeling in his head...it causes him to set down his utensils for a moment and reach for some water. After he finds that it doesn't get rid of this sudden dizziness, he looks at his plate and notices something dark sprinkled atop of the meal. He initially took it for basil, but now that he's inspecting it closer...it looks like something odd.

"Sal? Did you add somethin..._funnuh..._ to this _mealhh_..?"

He blinks several times hearing his words slur. Even Sally appears surprised.

"What do you mean..?"

The room around him starts spinning. Her face turns into blue and red blurs, and he holds his skull in an attempt to keep it still. That's when his hearing starts to make the noises around him inaudible. His rib cage feels like it's twisting inside-out, and the last thing he sees is the red tablecloth getting closer to his eye sockets. The blow feels like it numbs his skull - and suddenly, everything turns black.

* * *

Seeing the Pumpkin King pass out on the table across from her is not an experience Sally can say she's ever had until now. It shocks her when she hears the loud _bang!_ of his skull face planting on the table, and jumps in surprise. She stands in alarm and reflexively gasps at the sight. She waits a moment or two before leaning forward and gently tapping his shoulder. _No response._ The skeleton appears to be completely limp in his chair as she frantically rounds the table. She attempts to get him to lift his skull and finds there is no reaction at all.

She begins to worry.

"Jack? Are you okay?"

His figure remains unmoved, and much too silent for her taste. Her black eyes dart over to the unfinished meal on his plate. She finds nothing out of the usual about it, but leans closer to observe what she had sprinkled on it. She gasps when she finds a recognizable dark color, and quickly darts into the kitchen to look at the container she had used. When she sees deadly nightshade sitting there, a container she grabbed last-minute to spice things up, Sally's stomach sinks. She suddenly feels very sick.

**_She poisoned him._**

"Oh, no..." She places her hands on her face, digging her fingers into her skin. "How could I do that..? Why would I...h-how could..."

Her chest tightens as she begins to feel the moistness in her eyes. She rushes back into the dining room and finds her boyfriend still unconscious in his chair. Seeing such a sight causes her to allow the tears to roll down her cheeks, and she easily succumbs to the sobs threatening to leave her throat. She throws herself over the skeleton's figure and cries on his back. The minutes pass the longer she stays there, feeling horrible for doing something like this to someone so dear to her.

She didn't even realize she grabbed that deadly nightshade jar! While she was working in that kitchen...she felt like she was making a meal for the Doctor, after being so used to slaving over the stove all the time for him...Her movements became robotic; her habits going unnoticed by her senses. She must've watched herself sprinkle the poison on top of the food without a second thought! How could it not occur to her when she served it to Jack?

_He doesn't deserve this..._

Feeling her eyes start to run dry, she sniffles and looks around. She can't leave him in this chair. Just seeing him slumped over like this...it must be terrible on his back, and there's no telling what his head is doing to him right now. Sally's lip wobbles as she brings her arms over his figure, and attempts to lift him by his chest. She succeeds after a few moments of struggling - dragging him out of the chair and into the other room. Her efforts are sloppy, as she can see his long limbs dragging on the floor. She decides to bring him to the couch in his living room. She lays him on the red cushions carefully, moving his legs so he can rest properly. She even ensures his skull is supported by one of the pillows.

She sits next to his unconscious form and frowns. He didn't stir at all while she dragged him, and he certainly isn't moving now. She brings her hand over his and holds it, hoping, deep down, that he'll clutch back at any moment.

The tears come back into her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Jack...I didn't mean to do this again...Not to _you_..."

The words fall on deaf and nonexistent ears. The silence causes her to cry again, moving so she can hide her face on his chest. Even if he's not awake, he still feels very warm under her touch. She grabs at his shoulders and buries her face further on his shirt, weeping her soul out on him. What else can she do? She just poisoned her beloved with their first dinner here. _How can things get any WORSE_? First, those cruel words from the Witches, and now...now _this!_

_Why isn't anything going right? This is all her fault..._

She looks sadly up at the figure with teary eyes, and finds Jack's skull still lolled to the side. She squeezes her eyes tightly as she clings onto him, wanting to stay by his side as long as she can. If she sprinkled it on top of both their dinners...that means she must have ingested some Deadly Nightshade, too. '_Not as much as HE did..._' She thinks, then bites her lip. Any moment this will hit her, too...and the only place she wants to be is with him when she falls asleep.

* * *

. . .

. . .

_Are the walls pounding?_

The skeleton blinks several times as he opens his eye sockets. The view of the ceiling comes as a surprise to him. His vision still feels blurry as he looks around, feeling a little dazed. His head still hurts like Hell - the pounding sensation still apparent, though less intense now. He brings a skeletal hand to clutch the side of his skull as he attempts to sit up from wherever he's resting. He's surprised to feel some weight on him before he can, and looks down to find a batch of red hair on his chest. That's when he realizes it's Sally, and exhales to soothe himself.

They're on the couch together. _Odd._ Weren't they just in the kitchen?

It suddenly dawns on Jack. He passed out on that table after...eating some of the dinner, didn't he? He was just asking Sally if there was something odd about the meal..._'Well, I know that, now..._' He thinks, bringing his hand down and combing his fingers through her hair. It almost feels like a habit by now...

The ragdoll stirs on his chest, and he ceases his movements. Sally slowly brings her head up and rubs her right eye. The moment her black eyes make contact with his sockets, they grow as big as the moon. He expects her to smile and cling onto him tighter seeing him awake - but the complete **opposite** happens. In the matter of a few seconds, his girlfriend begins to bawl, clutching tightly at his suit and concealing her face with her hair. Jack feels lost as he listens to her cries, and desperately brings his arms around her figure to hug her soothingly.

"Oh, Sally..." He whispers sadly. "You're crying again..."

How terrible he's had to hear this twice today...Hearing her whimper at the Town Hall, then having to console her in the Graveyard...now she's on his chest, crying again like there's no tomorrow. _He doesn't want this._ He doesn't want to see anymore tears falling from her eyes or having to hold her like this...He quickly sits himself up, causing Sally to sit back in his lap. She's surprised at the sudden movement, but it doesn't stop her from still grabbing at his lapels and whimpering.

"It's alright, my dear, everything is perfectly fine..." He tells her, caressing her back lightly. She shakes her head.

"Jack, **_I poisoned you._** I-I didn't mean to-"

"I understand, Sal..."

"No. It was horrible of me to do! You didn't deserve that...I shouldn't have used that Deadly Nightshade at all..." She swallows hard. "I didn't even realize it was there..."

He holds her close and rests his skull on her shoulder, closing his eye sockets. He takes a moment to smell her hair, and already can he feel his headache going away. It hurts him to hear her so frantic, and feel her shaking under his grasp. Those last words especially hit him..._she didn't realize it was there._ He attempts to picture her mindlessly grabbing that poison - a habit she must've picked up after living with the Doctor for so long...A simple mistake, yet he can feel her trembling over it as she repeatedly apologizes to him.

His bones start to feel weak.

He pulls back and looks her in the eyes, lifting her chin with his finger. Firmly, he tells her, "I'm not upset."

She looks disheartened. "Why..?"

"Because I don't think the love of my death would poison me on _purpose_." He wipes away a tear on her cheek. "You would've run off by now if you had meant to..."

He says this to lighten the situation. It works a little, as he finds a small smile on her lips. She soon leans into his touch, exhaling sharply and relaxing her shoulders. He begins to rub her face with his thumb, gently laying himself back down so she can rest on him again. They spend a few minutes laying together in silence. After he feels no more tears falling on his suit, he brushes her yarn hair behind her ear and finds that she is finally smiling, her eyes closed in relaxation. It calms her to know that he's okay.

He finds it in him to chuckle. "I haven't seen you this distressed since that time you thought you killed the Doctor."

She recalls the memory. "That was my first time using the deadly nightshade." A few seconds pass before she starts to giggle. "It is a little funny now that I think about it..."

"How could I forget?" He attempts to mimic Sally's voice. "-_'I didn't mean to! How could I have been so cruel?'_"

Her giggles escalate into a laugh. Hearing him pitch his voice so high like that...she can't help it! She finds the memory humorous - being so worried about killing the Doctor, even though she continued to use the deadly nightshade on him for the next few years. She especially remembers how kind Jack was to her then. How he sat next to her since he thought she could use the company...and how they talked about Halloween after she felt better. He was at her side then, and now he's at her side now.

She shakes her head gently, resting back on him. "I was so worried about him..."

"I could tell." The skeleton frowns. "I think that was the first time I started to notice something was wrong with you and Finklestein..."

Sally doesn't say anything, closing her eyes and breathing softly. Jack finds his skull filling with concerning thoughts - vividly remembering how he found her crying a little after that happened...How she frowned when she looked at her old home, and the way she trembled just thinking about it. It feels so long ago, but it troubles him deeply. _How much could she gave gone through behind those walls that he doesn't know about?_

After contemplating for a little while, he remembers their position and checks on her. He finds her sleeping soundly on his rib cage, the tears now long-dried. He holds her carefully as he brings himself off of the couch and holds her in his arms. She snuggles closer in his chest as he begins his walk to her bedroom. The whole way, he can't help but admire her sleeping figure - noticing that she fell asleep with a small smile curved on her lips. He sighs in content as he reaches her door, and carefully pushes it open with his foot.

He brings her into her bed, lifting the covers and gently guiding her under the sheets. As soon as she's in, he tucks her in and pauses to admire the way her hair has fallen on the pillows. Despite sobbing to her heart's content a little less than an hour ago, she still looks beautiful. As if nothing had happened. Her skin looked so pale when he woke up - but now it's regaining its blue complexion again, which makes him relieved. He leans forward to lay a kiss on her forehead, and notes her smile widening as he pulls back. He caresses her face one last time before quietly leaving her room, climbing the stairs so he can head into his own.

* * *

The skeleton prepares for the night. When he steps into his room, he finds Zero sleeping away in his doggy bed. The pup must've slept through the whole ordeal. Not that he can blame him...sometimes the ghost comes home exhausted, and would nap for hours. He leaves the apparition alone as he finishes buttoning up his top. His gaze wanders as he does this, and it happens to land on one of the windows of the room. His hands freeze as his body momentarily stiffens at a familiar sight:

_Finklestein's Tower._

He says nothing as his stare prolongs. Eventually, he moves from his spot towards the window and opens it slightly. He gets a clear view of the tower now, and decides to look at it a little longer. It feels strange staring at it now. Before, he'd feel warm and content with the sight, as he knew Sally was somewhere in there. But knowing she is _here_ now, and that those walls only belong to the Doctor and his new creation, now...something feels different.

The sight makes his sternum ache, and not in delight. He's conflicted to think that, somewhere in there, is a man who got away with treating Sally like she was nothing. After years of neglect and mental abuse...he's still living there, with another woman now. After all the harm he has done to Sally - where Jack would find her crying in the graveyard or looking disheveled after spending restless nights there...she still has to deal with the aftermath of his harsh decisions. He clenches his fists as he starts to feel his mouth get hot, but closes his eye sockets to quietly calm himself down.

_It's time to make things right._

* * *

Sally wakes up the next morning with a slight headache. She knows she slept soundly, but the aftermath of the deadly nightshade must still be lingering. She spends several minutes in bed as she waits for this pain to go away, and leaves the room once she feels less groggy. She is surprised to find a broom and dustpan in the hallway sitting against the wall just beyond her door. She looks at them for a moment before grabbing the broom and sweeping what little dust she can find on the floor.

She keeps this up on her way to the living room. She finds a little peace in the repetitive movements, and hums quietly to herself as she moves along. The melody that leaves her lips is the song that is sung at her favorite time of the year - one she has been hoping to learn, so she can sing along once the time comes again...

_"This is Halloween...This is Halloween~"_

She doesn't even realize she's made her way around the house until she hears footsteps coming down from the stairs. She looks up and finds the surprised face of Jack Skellington peering back at her. She stands up straight and smiles at him, gently setting down the broom and dustpan to the side. Had he heard her singing? She hopes she wasn't too loud...

"Good morning..."

"Sally..." He arches an eye socket. "What are you doing?"

"You left me these outside my room, so I assumed you wanted me to clean up." She replies easily. "I swept the hallway and inside the kitchen a little bit. I was just about to finish your living-"

"-Oh, yes, I was going to sweep that hallway myself, but I forgot something and had to leave that broom there. I was just about to come and grab it so I could get started."

She frowns as her gaze comes back to the cleaning tools. She grabbed them blindly thinking they were meant for her! That's what she gets for having a habit of always finding mops and brooms waiting for her when she lived with Finklestein...ashamedly, she offers Jack the broom and dustpan back. He frowns at the sight and gently ushers them back into her hands.

"You seem to be having a good time...go ahead."

She's relieved at his approval, and pecks his cheek in delight. She continues to sweep around the room while humming her favorite part of the song. The taller figure watches her quietly before stepping into the other room. His features are troubled, but he doesn't let Sally see that. He's not entirely sure what to make of seeing his girlfriend on a cleaning spree simply because he left a broom outside her door. He understands it's her choice, but he wanted to clean up himself so she wouldn't have to worry about these things anymore...

. . .

As he sorts through some papers, he quietly reflects on what's been on his mind that morning. He can hear the sounds of quiet singing in the other room. It makes his bones grow numb. He eventually steps back into the room and clears his throat to get Sally's attention. She had just begun to dust his pictures, and paused her movements to turn to him.

"Oh, am I doing something wrong..?"

"Not at all! Thank you for cleaning - I appreciate it. I just..." He clacked his tongue in thought. "-I just want to talk to you for a second."

She freezes, holding the duster close to her chest. "Is this about last night..? I can't say how sorry enough I am for it-"

"No, no...this isn't about...**that**." He comes forward to grab the brush from her hands, setting it aside. "It's about Finklestein."

* * *

Seeing as Sally's reaction to that was a mixture of fear and surprise, Jack decided to sit themselves down and get comfortable before he'd touch on the subject again. This meant getting her mind off of cleaning, and once that was accomplished, she looked to be anxious. She is pulling at her seams again and fidgeting in her seat. The Pumpkin King sighs as he sits next to hear, resting a hand on her knee in hopes of calming her down. She stops moving, and starts chewing on her bottom lip instead.

"Everything's okay. I'm sorry to bring this up to you so soon, but...after what happened last night, I think it's something we really need to address."

Her gaze comes to the floor. His stitched lips drop into a frown. He leans forward in concern.

"-I think you should talk to the Doctor again."

"Talk..?" She repeats in surprise. "Why should I do that? I moved in with you to get away from him..."

"Well, yes, but...it's clear he's still having an affect on you. I know it's only been a few days since you started living with me, but I don't want to spend another night hearing you crying over what he's done to you."

She hides her face in her hands. "It was an **accident**..."

"-Because you're used to poisoning _him_."

"I just wanted to clean-"

"-He _forced_ you to clean."

"..."

"Sally, the first thing you did when you came here was ask me what my rules were and what chores you had. Then I hear you asking me when you're allowed to leave...I find you doing the same things you did with _him_, and it's starting to make me worried."

"...I know, I..."

Her voice grows weak. He gets closer to her, rubbing her back with the palm of his hand. She sinks further into her hands.

"All I'm saying is, you don't have closure with him right now. I think the best thing is to close ties with him so you don't have to think about him anymore."

She looks up from her hands. "What can I say to him? He's never listened to me before, and I've tried so many times..."

Jack hesitates for a few seconds. "Well, how do you _feel_ about him?"

"What do you mean..?"

"Now that you're not living with him. Do you still think about him? Do you still care about how he's doing?"

She knits her eyebrows together in thought. None of that has occurred to her until now. "I guess I do."

"Tell him you still care. That you don't want to leave your relationship broken. And, even then...what kind of relationship _do_ you want to have with him?"

"I always thought of him as...more of a father...to me..."

"That's perfect! Why don't you tell him that?"

She's quiet for a moment. "...What if he doesn't feel the same way? He tried to marry me first thing when I was created...he told me he loved me, and I'm worried if he still feels that way about me..."

"You know what _I_ think is important?" She looks at him. "-It's about how you feel. You need to stop worrying about how _he'll_ react and what _he_ wants. This is about how you want your relationship with him to be. If he doesn't want to be your father, then let him live his death thinking he lost you. If he wants to have you as his daughter, then maybe the two of you can finally start over together."

She blinks in surprise at his words. This may just be the best advice he has ever given her. She looks down and fidgets with her hands, musing over what he said. She has never brought the topic up with Finklestein before...Telling a man who tried to marry you that you only see them as a parent was...not an easy feat, to say at the least. She wonders if he'll be enraged, or if he'll finally be willing to form a healthy relationship with her. How could she consider the man who gave her life anything _but_ a father?

After a few seconds, she nods firmly. "Okay. I'll talk with him...hopefully he'll be okay with all of this..."

"If he intended on making a new wife for himself, then I certainly hope he's moved on from you." His hand slithers its way into hers. "I know you can do this, Sally. I think having this closure is the best thing for you right now."

She rests her head on his shoulder, nodding softly. "You're right...and I hadn't even thought of it."

Jack rubs the side of her face, leaving a kiss on her head. "And if you need me to be there, I'll come with you. We can do this whenever you're ready, but I just want you to get it out of the way so you can start living the life you deserve."

She closes her eyes as she inhales his cologne. "I think I'd like that..."


	5. Father and Daughter

On a Tuesday morning, Sally sits herself by a window to practice her knitting while letting in fresh air. It is a beautiful time to look outside, as the pumpkin sun lightly warms her skin as she listens to the sounds of children playing from below. Every time she glances up from her work, she can see the town and its people in clear daylight. Not such a _horrendous_ day by Halloween Town's standards, but she finds it relaxing, nonetheless.

Halfway into her work, the front doors of the manor open. She turns her head and finds Jack coming through the doorway. He promptly sets the papers he's holding aside when he finds her in the room. He smiles and gets closer to see what she is doing. She lets him see the scarf she is currently working on. It was yellow in color - the only yarn she could find at the moment.

"Prepping for winter already?" He asks. She glances down and shrugs.

"Just practicing, for now."

He leans down to kiss the top of her head, moving around her to sit down in his chair. He starts to work, setting some papers on a table and beginning to scribble on them using the end of a feather dipped in ink. She pays no mind as she tends to her scarf, humming as the movements become easier. The two of them relax in this peaceful moment - working together in close proximity, with nothing interrupting them.

Sally sighs in delight. Everything about this feels right.

Her gaze soon comes down back to the streets of Halloween Town. She finds a batch of familiar, blonde hair within the crowds. Her body stiffens as she recognizes the figure. They're working their way down to the market, with a basket held in the crook of their arm. Sally's eyes follow the woman as she disappears into one of the shops. She starts to lose focus with her knitting, and has to set down her work on the window sill.

_Jewel._

It has been over a week since the deadly nightshade incident happened. Jack's consolation eased her from the memory of the ordeal, making it not cross her mind again until now. Things have gone so peacefully from then. She hadn't any reason _to_ remember it. She was getting more comfortable adjusting to her life here - even if that meant taking certain precautions, like moving the deadly nightshade jar out of the kitchen and ensuring all the cleaning supplies were left in their rightful closet. This gave her more room to focus on other things, like practicing sewing and knitting again, even taking up a new book in her free time.

But, now, seeing the Doctor's new creation again makes Sally remember it all. What exactly happened over a week ago, and everything that led to it. No matter how happy she seems now, this will always linger in her memory. Any small thing that can remind her of what the Doctor did to her - it will haunt her for mind for hours, and possibly her whole death. She curls her fingers in her lap in thought. This part of the manor isn't facing Finklestein's tower, but she doesn't need to see it to _think_ of it. She takes a deep breath as she finds herself strangely calm - making a bold decision in these few seconds.

She turns to the skeleton man behind her, who glances up from his work. "I think I'm ready."

* * *

The walk to Dr. Finklestein's tower feels much longer than she remembers.

Jack was confused when Sally virtually brought this up out of nowhere, but he was very supportive regardless. He asked if she was sure she was ready to make this decision, and after much thought and consideration, she insisted she was. The Pumpkin King quietly takes them on the longer route to ensure they won't be appearing too soon. He can tell she needs some time to work up some encouragement, and there is also the fact he hadn't called the Doctor to inform them they were coming in the first place. He hopes they'll be there to answer once they've arrived.

The two of them find the sight of his tower coming into view. When the gates are only a few feet away, his girlfriend suddenly stops in her tracks. She looks back at him and plays with her fingers, looking at the ground nervously.

"Jack?" She asks quietly. "Can you give me one of those pep talks, again? The ones you're really good at?"

He places a hand on her shoulder and grips it softly. "You don't have to be afraid of him. You don't even have to listen to him anymore. This is about what you want, not _him_."

She places her hand over his and holds it for a few seconds. She still looks conflicted. "...You really think I can tell him?"

"You're one of the most assertive people I know, Sally. I _know_ you have confidence. Don't let him think you don't. You have every right to do what you're doing; asking for what you want. And if all else fails, we'll leave and we won't come back."

She sighs in relief. "Thank you..." Her eyes turn teary. "I'm so glad you're here. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't."

He cups her cheek and leans forward to kiss her. He tells her, "I'm always going to be by your side, now and forever."

She coos.

They go through the gates and he assists her up the stairs. Her gut starts to ache with how familiar this feels. Once they're on top, Jack rings the doorbell. They wait a few seconds before hearing Finklestein's voice from the other side. It gives her unpleasant chills. The doorknob suddenly twists open. They come face-to-face with Jewel, whose gray eyes blink in surprise. There is a small moment of silence - neither of them sure on what to say. Jack opens his mouth to greet her while the ragdoll continues to fiddle with her fingers in the background.

"Good afternoon! I hope you excuse our sudden visit - but we're here to see the Doctor?"

Jewel smiles in glee and holds her hands together, stepping aside and motioning forward. "Oh, please, do come in!"

They go to help themselves inside, but Sally is hesitant to bring herself in. She is encouraged forward with a skeletal hand on her back, allowing him to lead her inside. They are brought onto a couch in the sitting room, which she finds has more wilted flowers than usual. The taller figure watches the two of them get comfortable and gives a warm smile.

"I'll let him know you're here! I'm sure he'd love to see the both of you."

Sally holds up a hand quickly. "-Actually, _I_ wanted to talk to him...Jack is just here for support."

"Oh! Well, I'll let him know that right away."

Jewel hurries out of the room and towards the laboratory. In this time, the situation starts to settle in. Just seeing these familiar walls she had been stuck in not so long ago, and the ramp she's had to sneak down so many times...her hand desperately finds its way for Jack's. He can feel her squeezing it tightly once it's in her grasp. He squeezes back gently and brings a hand through her hair, looking at her in concern.

_She's getting worked up again._

"Are you sure you're ready for this..? It is quite soon you're talking to him again-"

"I know I'm ready." She gestures vaguely around them. "I just...don't like seeing all of this again..."

He looks up and realizes she means the tower they're in. He can only imagine all of the unpleasant memories surfacing for her. He truly does sympathize with her - it can't be easy walking into the same home she was practically trapped in, and asking for a new relationship with the one who imprisoned her. He can only hope the Doctor is willing to listen and become a little more sensible about this. He seemed decent enough when he asked if she could move in with him...

He goes to console her, but is interrupted by various noises coming from the hallway. The familiar sound of a wheelchair makes Sally sit up in her seat right away. A second after, Dr. Finklestein emerges into the room with Jewel by his side. He must have been in the middle of an experiment, judging by the pair of goggles sitting on his head and his unusual pleasant mood. His expression doesn't change when he sees Jack, but the moment his gaze goes on Sally, the smile on his lips begins to fall. The same can be seen on her face - a troubled look growing on her features.

Things are silent for a few minutes.

"You really are back." He says in astonishment. She nods slowly.

"I am."

The skeleton offers to help her stand, and she takes his hand before slowly walking to the Doctor. Her movements feel tense as she stands before him. She inhales deeply to steady herself. Now she can't be afraid of him. She is her own person. Someone he can't control anymore.

"I want to talk with you alone. About some things." She says confidently. She momentarily fears for his reaction, but is surprised when Finklestein takes the goggles off his head and nods.

"Alright, my girl. We can go ahead and do that."

He starts to lead her back towards the hallway. She takes one last look behind her shoulder and finds Jack smiling at her encouragingly. It's the last thing she sees, and gives her a last boost of confidence before disappearing behind the frame. This leaves the Pumpkin King alone with the Doctor's new creation - who is still standing idly in the room. He opens his mouth to politely break the ice, but she beats him to it.

"Would you like some tea?"

* * *

Things are completely silent during their short walk into another room. She keeps her distance from him as they sit down at a table, ensuring her chair is as far from him as it respectably can be. It's nerve-wracking to be alone with him like this...without Jack to be right by her side, to speak for her and protect her. _'I'm becoming independent now,_' She reminds herself. _'He can't do everything for me. He's already done so much...'_

Finklestein breaks the silence by clearing his throat. "Now, what is it that brought you back here..?"

She taps her fingers together. _How can she put this without being abrupt?_ "I've been thinking about some things while living with Jack, and there's something I need to take care of."

"And this involves speaking with me..?"

"It does." She lets herself sigh. Time to get answers. "Doctor, I just wanted to know...what is it like, living without me?"

He adjusts his glasses. "Do you want me to be truthful with you, Sally?"

"Yes. That's what I'm here for."

He pauses for a long time. Almost like he doesn't want to say. "...Frankly, I thought it would be much better than it is. I don't have to constantly worry about Jewel sneaking out or poisoning my meals. She seems happy living here, which is not something I could ever say for you." She looks down at this. "-Regardless, I still find myself..._missing_ you, I suppose. Thinking about you from time-to-time."

"But you wanted me out." She brings up.

He nods solemnly. "Yes, that is true...which is why I'm baffled to feel this way. You were nothing but trouble. But Jewel can't quite make meals like you could. And she's not as experienced with cleaning as you are."

"-Is that why you're thinking about me? Because my chores aren't done the same?"

He goes quiet. Her lips fall into a frown. Of course he would only miss the things she did, instead of for her. She hadn't expected him to change at all...She has to remind herself of Jack's words. That she's only here to assert herself and what _she_ wants. She may as well get it out of the way now.

"I'm going to get to the point." She says quickly. "Doctor, you were cruel to me and I **hated** it here. All we did was fight and yell at each other. You said some terrible things to me, and the things you've done...they haunt me, still. And not in a pleasant way." She begins shaking in her seat and has to rub her arms to keep her composure. "-I was so scared when I lived here. All I wanted to do was get away from you. At times, I thought I hated you..."

"-I deserve that."

She blinks a few times before looking at him. He's hanging his head low, averting his gaze.

"Sally, I'm sorry. For everything I had done to you and the things I said. This wouldn't have occurred to me if you hadn't said it countless of times before. But like the stubborn old man I am, I just didn't listen." He shakes his large head. "Living without you has opened my eyes to a few things, besides what you did here. Jewel is nothing like you. I thought what I needed was someone who understood me, and so I gave a part of myself to her. I've never felt so happy."

The ragdoll remains quiet.

"I already lost you. I knew that could happen again if I repeated the things I did from before." He begins to fidget with his hands in his lap. "So I've taken good care of Jewel, the best that I can in my state...I've found that by listening to her, she feels obligated to speak with me more. We have so many conversations. More than I've ever had with _you_, as of matter of fact. The biggest challenge was letting her go off on her own. I let her visit the town today, hoping that she would return to me...and she did."

Finklestein finally brings his attention to her. They make eye contact for a second, and he can sense the sorrow in her eyes. He holds his breath. "What I'm trying to say, my girl, is - Jewel is teaching me to be better. She may not be aware of it, but...things are different than they were with you. I know this is something I should have done while you were around...and I'm _sorry_."

Hearing all of this makes Sally feel conflicted. On one hand, she feels..._happy_ to hear a proper apology, and that he's treating Jewel differently. But, on the other hand, does he even know all the things he had done that were wrong? For these past few years, he always insisted he was in the right...the last thing she wants is for him to get away with what _she_ has to live with.

"I forgive you...but I want you to listen to me. This time, and every other time we speak from now on." He is surprised at the authority she's displaying, but goes along with it anyway. "-I want to tell you the things that made me want to leave you. So you don't make the same mistakes with Jewel. I may not know her that well, but I care about her being safe here..."

"If you think that's necessary..."

She takes a deep breath. "You did a lot of things to me that were cruel and violent. The times you locked me in my room for days on end, when you refused to let me go outside at all, never letting me have my own interests, and threatening to 'fix' me by replacing my brain..." He looks uncomfortable. "-Those are only a few out of everything that's happened..."

"Yes, I remember them."

"If you want to be better for Jewel, then keep letting her go outside. Let her get interested in Halloween, or whatever other things she's going to like. Don't make her think there's something wrong with her that needs to be 'fixed'...because all of those things made me want to leave you."

"...I see."

There's another moment of silence as he takes all of this in. For Sally, she feels cold. Reliving these memories and having to tell them to the man responsible for them...and, yet, she's forgiven him. Simply because he's telling her that he wants to be better. A part of her feels gullible for believing this. He's never bothered to change even though he's made so many promises to her in the past. But maybe, since he is finally with someone who makes him happy..he _can_?

"-Was this all you came here for?" His voice interrupts her thoughts. "You pointing out all the terrible things I've done?"

"Well, no." She moves uncomfortably in her seat. She's not sure if this is the right time to ask, but what choice does she have? "I wanted to ask you if...we can ch-change our relationship?"

He looks confused. She elaborates, "I don't want what we have to be broken...avoiding you all the time, that is. Jack talked with me about it, and I think...I think I want you as a **father**, to me..."

This time, the silence feels deafening. She can't exactly read his expression past his glasses, but she can sense he's surprised. At a lack of response, she decides to continue on, nervously explaining:

"You created me. You were the first one I saw when I was brought into this world...and I looked up to you. I didn't understand love or marriages, or _anything_ until I met Jack. Before then, I just thought you as my guardian and someone who looked after me...and I still feel that way. I still want you in my life. But not as someone I love the same way as I do with Jack. I...want a **father**."

He is still speechless. But her point has been made. She waits for his response as he looks away, rubbing his chin in thought. After a few minutes, he asks, "...You think of me as your _father_?"

"I do. I know you've moved on, now, with Jewel. And I have with Jack. So I think whatever went on in our past, we can simply forget about and start again..."

"You were always special to me, girl. I just didn't know in what way. For so long I believed you were meant as a partner for me, because that was my intention on making you...but things clearly didn't happen that way. If only I had realized sooner." He chuckles slightly. "I was so jealous of Jack taking you away. But it seems that was the best thing for both of us. I've always looked to him as a son, so...the idea of you as my _daughter_ isn't too far-fetched..."

Her eyes light up at his words. "You want to be a father to me, then?"

"It makes perfect sense to me." He pauses before offering her his hand. "-I still love you, Sally. But only as my daughter, from now on."

She's shocked at those words. Hearing him say he loved her without any force or romantic implications behind it...it was like she was hearing her own father saying he loved her for the first time. She's overcome with tears of joy, and in a moment of relief, she lunges forward and wraps her arms around Finklestein, giving him their first true embrace after all these years. In her grasp, he actually feels warm this time around.

"_I love you, too._"

His jaw hangs open in alarm as he suddenl finds himself in a hug. His hands linger in the air for a few seconds before he comes to terms with what is happening. Hearing how happy she sounds, and the tears he can feel falling on his neck...he does nothing more but hold her back, closing his eyes and relishing his first true contact with his creation - _no,_ his **daughter**. The longer they embrace, the more moist his eyes become. He soon realizes a few tears are falling from behind his glasses, but he doesn't mind them.

* * *

"-I hope you don't mind poisonberry, it's the only flavor I can find in this kitchen..."

Jack watches as Jewel sets down a cup of tea in front of him. He is sitting at the head of the table - the usual spot he always sits in whenever he visits. He thanks the ragdoll and gives a polite smile, taking a quick sip of the tea and humming at the familiarity of the flavor. He recalls the last time he drank poisonberry tea when he was over here - how time has flown since then, and now Sally is living with him instead of here...it feels almost odd not to come around just to see her anymore.

Jewel sits to the side of him and takes a drink out of her own cup. She smiles before drumming her gloved fingers along the glass. Things are quiet for the first few minutes - neither of them sure how to start conversation. Jack is a natural at conversing with people, as his Kingly duties are to be sociable with his citizens, but knowing that this woman is Sally's replacement gives him...an _unsettling_ feeling in his bones.

"Do you know what they're talking about?" She suddenly asks him. "I know it's not polite to think of other people's businesses, but I'm curious..."

"It's a little personal for Sally. She's wanted to have this talk with him for awhile, I'm sure." He takes another drink and shifts his gaze. She nods along in thought.

"Yes, I bet you're right..."

Again, they're met with silence. He thinks this is far too uncomfortable to pass the time with. He sets down his cup and clasps his skeletal hands together, deciding to talk to her properly. It can't hurt to get to know the Doctor's new wife.

"So, Jewel, how is it living here? Are you happy?"

"Absolutely awful!" She responds in delight. "Finklestein is very kind to me. He lets me decorate around the tower, read all of these books, and cook and clean for him! Just today, he let me go out and buy some rotted apples..."

"-He isn't _forcing_ you to do these things for him, is he..?"

"Oh, no! It's just polite because it's not easy for him to do. I think helping him out like this is my duty more than anything."

The skeleton smiles, but feels a little conflicted, deep down. Hearing such positive things about the Doctor after receiving the opposite from Sally for such a long time is..._new_. Despite that, he's relieved to hear Jewel is happy. At least he won't have to worry about checking in for any concerning reasons like he had to _before_...He can only assume the Doctor must have learned SOMETHING from Sally's departure if he isn't outright forcing these chores on Jewel.

"...What is Sally like?"

Her voice brings him out of his thoughts. He thinks he's misheard. "Hm?"

"I don't know much about her besides what the Doctor does. A little bit of that, anyway." She explains uncertainly. "He hasn't been too keen on talking about her with me. I know I was made as her replacement. But she seems very kind."

"Oh, Sally is. Very much so. She's also resourceful and smart. She's quite skilled with her talents and passions, too. I think you two could get along well, if you ever sat down and talked with her."

"You think so?"

"Of course! She's a little shy on the surface, but friendly once you get to know her."

Jewel looks happy as her eyes go onto the table. She begins fidgeting with her gloves in thought. After a moment, she tells him, "It's a good thing you took her in when you did."

"Is it?"

"From what I can remember." She sees the confusion on his face. "Since Finklestein gave me half of his brain, I can retain half of his memories...this means I recall a lot about him and Sally. Their relationship, from what I see...seemed very rough. And not quite happy."

He shakes his skull. "It wasn't."

"For the first few days, it was hard for me to distinguish things the present from the past. I kept getting these flashbacks to what the Doctor and Sally had. I remember their arguments, their fights, and disagreements...none of those memories are pleasant in the slightest." She frowns. "I have one very clear memory of them fighting before she ran off. The Doctor felt so heartbroken, and the things that were said...I can tell there were many problems between them I just don't fully understand."

Jack is quiet. He's not exactly sure what to say to this. A response apparently isn't necessary, as she glances up and smiles again. "-Deep down, healways cared about her. Maybe a little too much for his own good...and that's why he felt so badly hurt. But he cared about her. And behind everything he did, it's because he didn't know how to live without her."

"Hmm."

"I try to learn things from his memory. I'm gifted with science because I share his knowledge. We get along well. We seem to have the same hobbies, the same interests...but after learning his true feelings, I want to help him become a better person. Just the other day, I tried to talk to him about seeing Sally again...and he didn't want to do it. That's why I was so happy to see you two here."

"I had to encourage Sally to come. She didn't want to, either." He folds his hands on the table. "I thought it'd be the best for them to sit down and talk properly for once. It'll be good for the both of them."

"Finklestein is getting better. He lets me do things he didn't let Sally do. I can see why she'd feel the way she did; I'd be the same way if I ended up in her position." She rubs her wrist. "-What I'm saying is, it's a good thing you're taking over, now. You know how to take care of her. And if you hadn't, I don't know who else would." She ends this with another shrug. "-Then again, that's just what I assume from these memories..."

He smiles, and Jewel returns it. This talk hadn't been so bad after all. They start to finish their tea and speak a little more, this time, about Halloween and the town. He finds her curious about the holiday and people like Sally was, and he's more than happy to enlighten another person about it. Jack's opinion has definitely changed after hearing more from her - she's quite enlightening, and seems to be as caring as Sally is.

. . .

The two of them are soon interrupted by the sound of a wheelchair and footsteps coming from the other room. The moment Sally and Dr. Finklestein appear in the doorway, both Jewel and Jack stand from their seats. The skeleton walks past the table to meet with his girlfriend, giving her a kiss on her forehead and brushing her hair off to the side. She doesn't seem upset at all..rather, _happy_.

"How did it go?" He asks her quietly. She glances over at the Doctor and closes her eyes.

They had spoken a little more after their hug, about how sorry they equally were with how things went in their relationship. Although he had done made of the cruel actions and decisions, she understood how some of the things she did and said hurt him as well. She really was rebellious and went against even his harmless wishes at times. Despite that, the rest of their conversation was enlightening, even speaking of how this father-daughter thing will work. She promised him she will make future visits, and that she's going to put an effort into getting to know him better. As a parental figure rather than a husband.

"It went perfect..."

Jewel comes over to pat Finklestein on his shoulder. He puts a hand over hers before turning over to Jack and Sally. He seems to be just as happy as she is. He takes a deep breath before slowly exhaling, motioning to Sally with a gloved hand and a smile.

"We had a wonderful talk, my dear. Thank you for coming today."

"Thank you for listening to me, and wanting to do this." She sounds relieved talking to him for once. "I promise I'll come back someday."

"Please, do! I'd love to have my daughter visit me again." He looks at Jack and bows his head. "You're obviously free to come by, too, m'boy."

The Pumpkin King looks astounded at his words. _'Daughter'_? Had things truly gone according to plan..? He looks over and finds Sally grinning. The two of them decide to leave and say goodbye to the Doctor and Jewel. Jack feels enlightened as he shakes their hands, and Sally feels strangely calm as she hugs the Doctor goodbye. Their embrace still feels warm this time around. _She's already liking this so much better._

"Take care, you two! Have a horrendous day!" Dr. Finklestein calls to them as they leave. They wave their hands in return.

When the couple look at each other, they sense something new in their gazes. Already can he tell Sally will have plenty to tell him, and he can't wait to mention the things he's learned in return. He offers her his hand, and she doesn't hesitate to take it. Their walk back to the Skellington Manor is quiet, but nothing is needed to be said. They'll be returning to their home together, where they have all the time in the world to talk and hold each other in their arms...

* * *

They take a few minutes to get situated in the Manor. Sally gets comfortable in one of the chairs while Zero rests peacefully in her lap. She brings her hand to pet the ghost every few seconds, smiling as she listens to the peaceful sounds of the wind outside. Jack eventually comes into the room and joins her, sitting in the chair next to her and listening as his dog snores away. He fishes for something in his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper with various numbers scrawled on it. He hands it to Sally to observe, and she reads it without a word.

"Jewel wanted me to give this to you. It's the number to the Doctor's tower. I have it memorized, but I think it'll be useful for you to have. In case you don't want to go all that way to see him, you two can talk using the telephone."

She stares at it a bit longer before putting it aside. "I think I'll try that, sometime...I'm not very good with telephones just yet."

"I'll have to teach you how to use mine, then."

She dips her head, still coming to terms with everything that's happened. It's nearly been 2 weeks since she's moved in with Jack. It's hard to believe she fixed her and the Doctor's relationship so soon. Slowly, she says, "I have a dad now..."

Her boyfriend smiles. "That you do."

"I thought he wouldn't agree. But he did. He told me he loved me again...but it was different. I knew he was talking about family love this time."

"See? Talking to him wasn't the worst thing in the world. As a matter of fact, things might be better now that you did."

"You're right. And I want to thank you. Again." She leans forward to lay a hand on his arm. "If you hadn't talked me into it, I don't know when would've been the next time I'd have spoken to him..."

He lays his hand over hers and squeezes it tightly. He frowns for a moment. "I won't have to see you worrying about him or what he did to you again, will I?"

"No." She shakes her head with a smirk. "He told me he was sorry for it all, and it sounded like he meant it this time."

"It's a good thing Jewel's around now, isn't it?"

"I think so. He told me she was teaching him to be better. And seeing how I didn't get yelled at or blamed for anything...I think she's doing a good job."

He mulls over something for a moment. "You know...I got to talk with her while you were in with the Doctor. She told me interesting things. About him, and all. It turns out they share memories and feelings together. She told me that Finklestein has always cared about you, and he just didn't know how to live without you."

She looks down, recalling what he told her about her chores. "I guess that makes sense..."

"-Jewel is a lot like you. She seems to be sweet and caring...I told her I think the two of you would get along." He hums. "Maybe you can have a relationship with her, too...like what you're going to have with the Doctor?"

"You mean, Jewel as my mother?" Her eyes widen. "-I don't know what it's like to have a mom."

"I think she would be a terrific one! Think about it. The both of you want Finklestein to be better, and you two can certainly understand what it's like to live with him...maybe now that he wants to have you as a daughter, Jewel will feel the same way, too."

She brings her gaze back to Zero in her lap, scratching under his ears. "I'll have to think about that..." A thought comes to her and she smiles at him. "You know what the Doctor told me..? That he's always looked to you like his son."

His eye sockets widen in surprise. "Really?"

" I always wondered how close he was to you. But now that he sees me as a daughter, he said it wasn't very far-fetched."

Jack is quiet for an awfully long time. She doesn't question it and continues to pet Zero in thought. After a few seconds, she leans over to rest her head on his shoulder. Her mind is finally at peace for once. The troubling thoughts of the Doctor are no longer surfacing in her mind. Instead, all she thinks about is the fact that she has a dad now. Jack, meanwhile, is holding the side of his skull in thought. He brings an arm over Sally so she can get comfortable, but his gaze is elsewhere.

He's always been close with the Doctor, ever since he was young. They've had plenty of history together through these years. Jack got his interest in science watching Finklestein work in his lab, and learning about chemistry and experimenting from him. He had grown to look at him as a friend and a sort of inspirational figure. He never thought he'd end up falling in love with one of his creations. But knowing that she is his daughter...that can bring the possibility of him _truly_ becoming Finklestein's son in the future. That is, if he were to marry Sally...

His gaze comes over to her, and finds her falling fast asleep. He chuckles and leans forward to kiss her cheek. As her marvels at her beauty, those three words come to mind again. He thought he had _enough_ of them after what happened with the witches, but now the subject has found its way to him again. _**A Pumpkin Queen.**_ His bones start to tingle again. The longer he stares at her, the more he starts imagining it - witnessing her as his bride, becoming his Queen, and starting a married life with her...It is a peculiar thing for him to fantasize about at a time like this, but he finds the thought strangely enticing...


	6. Old Photographs

There are a lot of things becoming apparent to Sally the longer she lives with the Pumpkin King.

But the taste of freedom is her _favorite._

Now that she is out of the Doctor's protective clutches, she realizes how many opportunities she has missed to become her own person. All she would have done in the tower is clean and cook every day, with the occasional spare time to read books or sew clothes. It was only after she began escaping and making friends did she realize what she was capable of. She is left with all the time in the world now. With better supplies in much better circumstances...she can work on sewing as long as she wants, and she is no longer obligated to drop everything to cook for the man she's living with. She is finally able to finish a book within a couple of _weeks_ instead of a **month.**

Slowly but surely, she's embracing the new things in her life. A week or so after her visit to Finklestein's tower, Jack showed her how to use his telephone. It was odd to learn how to properly use one, but she grew used to the process the more she did it. She called the Doctor and spoke with him on the same line for the first time. The conversation was awkward for the both of them. It was uncomfortably quiet for the most part, her feeling a little too shy to initiate most of the talk. Luckily, Finklestein seemed curious about her new living conditions and asked her questions. She got to speak about Jack's manor and what kind of room she has now, which resulted in either silence or a few words from his end.

It was a start for both of them. Their conversations since then have picked up, and sometimes Sally will even speak with Jewel on the phone. She learns more about her as time goes on. She is growing an interest in science and speaks of her experiments she is having with the Doctor in the laboratory. It feels nice for Sally to hear how well things are going for them, and in return, she tells Jewel how amazing it is living with Jack.

It already feels like she's talking to a pair of parents who care about how she is doing.

When all is said and done, the ragdoll is left to wander around the Skellington manor. She explores a little day-by-day in her leisurely time, finding the place much bigger than she first thought. The hallways feel longer now that she has the time to walk down them. She hears the walls suddenly creak in displeasure as she steps somewhere new. Uncertainly, she lays a hand on the wall's surface and the groans eventually go away. She then feels strangely at peace.

_At least the house likes her._

Her black eyes travel over the walls curiously. Most of the space is taken by various pictures arranged in neat patterns. She remembers having a look at them the first day she was here. She hadn't gotten the chance to look at them all. She decides this is the best time and gets closer to get a better look at them.

She isn't surprised to find that many are old black-and-white photos. As she's seen before, they consist of old photographs of Halloween Town and what she assumes to be the older citizens. Her gaze eventually finds the pictures of Jack again. They haven't changed since she's last seen them. Seeing him sitting by himself in so many, with only Zero around and forced smiles aimed at the photographer... Her stomach twists unpleasantly at the sight. Something feels _wrong_ about seeing him this way, even if it must have been so long ago. She frowns as a sudden coldness stirs in her chest, bringing a hand over it in an attempt to warm her leaves again.

_She should speak to him about this when he gets home._

* * *

Jack Skellington sighs in relief when he passes through the doors of his own home. He takes off his jacket and hangs it by the door, feeling much too hot after a day of moving around. He relaxes after feeling the cool air start to chill his bones, then rolls his sleeves up to his humerus. He loosens his bat bow tie and takes it off, heading upstairs to return it to its rightful drawer in his bedroom. He is curious to hear things so quiet. As far as he knows, Sally must be home. The skeleton shrugs it off as he puts his bow tie away and kicks off his shoes. It's only when he comes out of his bedroom that he finds Sally climbing up the stairs.

"Good evening, my dearest friend." He greets her with a smile and leans forward to kiss her on the cheek. "I'm terribly sorry I came home late...it was a long day."

"I understand. I can only imagine." She feels a longing in her chest when he pulls his hand away from her face. "How are you feeling?"

"A little worked up, but nothing a few minutes with you can't solve." He chuckles. "-And how are you, Sally? I know I don't ask that _enough_."

"...I'm good, but-"

_"Ruff!"_

Zero comes out of thin air and yaps excitedly, unaware that he's interrupted them. The skeleton holds a bony finger to his beloved as he reaches in his shirt and retrieves a rib. He promptly shoves it in the dog's muzzle. The ghost makes a satisfied noise before leaving the two of them be, gnawing at the bone in the den.

Sally fidgets with her hands as she follows him down the stairs. It's hard enough to try and bring this up to him on her own, but seeing him in his undershirt and pants makes her...**tingly**. Usually she doesn't get a very good look at his bones, but his white t-shirt hugs his rub's curvatures and becomes only a little baggy where he lacks a stomach. She notices that he uses a pair of suspenders to hold his pants up, which hug his pelvis even tighter. She bites her lip as she looks at his back, admiring his shoulders once more.

This man can make her weak simply by removing his suit.

She follows as he heads into the kitchen and pours himself a glass of water. Her eyes are locked on him - noticing his rolled sleeves that expose his bare arms. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he's _teasing_ her with all of the bone he is showing...that she's desperately thought about at times before, and has been so curious to see...

"Would you like some water?"

She's snapped out of her staring when he speaks. She's become so hot that she feels a little _parched_. "Oh, could you please?"

He nods and pours her a glass. He hands it to her and she takes a hefty gulp. It at least helps her calm down.

"Wh-when you have the time, can we please sit down and...talk?" She looks away from him. "It's something I've wanted to tell you about ever since I arrived here..."

"I always have time for you, Sal! Here, let's get comfortable before we do..."

He leads her into the den and sits them both on the couch. Zero briefly looks up from his rib to glance at them, but promptly returns to his work. The ragdoll shifts uncomfortably on the cushion as her boyfriend sits close, giving her a teasing view of his collarbone.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Her eyes dart away. She needs to stay focused to bring up something this serious. "Jack, while you've been gone, sometimes I look around the house...there's still a lot I haven't seen, even though I've been here for a month. You have such a big and wonderful home..."

"-Which is _yours_ as well..."

"Right." She nods. "I spend a lot of time looking at the photos on your walls. There's just so many, and it feels like I'm looking at a lot of history."

"Yes, I collect a lot of them. There are some creatures that have come and go through town, and I pay tribute to my past citizens by keeping their pictures in my home."

"That explains all the faces I don't recognize..."

"Why do you mention this..?"

She finally looks at him. "These pictures make it look like I'm seeing a different person. Someone who looks...sad and lonely. You don't look very happy in the ones where it's only you. And I can tell. You're usually so perked up and have this energy about you when you're happy. Just seeing you smile is contagious to me, but the ones in those pictures don't feel as sincere."

Jack's lips fall into a frown. He places a skeletal finger on his chin in thought. He hadn't realized he looked so upset in them. No one said a thing about it before. Then again, it would make sense for Sally to notice...she knows him the best, after all.

"Most of these pictures were taken in your home, so I just want to know...what was it like living here before I came along? It's never occurred to me how long you must've stayed here by yourself..."

Zero looks up and abruptly barks at them. "Arf!"

She jumps and smiles, quickly correcting herself. "-How long you must've stayed here with _Zero_, I mean..."

The dog goes back to chewing the rib in satisfaction. Jack laughs at the sight.

"It's true. It's been such a long time that I don't even notice the years pass by. I'd say I've been living alone for...at least a _decade_, if not, **_more_** than that."

Jack's smile falls again and he presses his fingers against his jaw. Recalling all of these years he's spent alone in these walls, accompanied by only his ghostly pet and the occasional guest...it isn't as pleasant to remember as he thought.

"I suppose, when you live like that for so long, you get used to it. The Mayor would come by for work, and sometimes I'd have guests. But on a daily basis, I was left to fend only for myself and Zero. I had most of my conversations with him and he'd keep my company while I worked late at night."

The dog nods in pride in the background. Sally still frowns at this information. "I imagine that gets very lonely...not having another person around for so long..."

The skeleton pauses. "-I had my citizens to see and talk with every day. But now that you mention it..._yes_, it was rather lonely when I came home at the end of the day. It's not a thought I dwelled on terribly much."

"-You were content just living with Zero?"

His lips form into several lines before settling on a frown.

"I believed I was. But before you came around, the thought of living with someone else never really occurred to me. I didn't feel this way with anyone - to me, the Graveyard was my escape from all the attention, but my home was my solitude. When things became overwhelming, I'd lock myself in my study and work off the stress. I didn't have anyone to go to - not anyone that would **understand**."

Her hand crawls its way into his. He grasps it gently and holds it tight for a few seconds, her contact momentarily pulling him away from these troubling thoughts.

She slowly draws her gaze up to him. "Were you sad..?"

He lets out an airy chuckle. "Of _course_ I was. I was already depressed doing the same thing every year for a responsibility I had no control over. All of the attention, praises, and women who forced themselves on me-" He holds a bony hand to his mouth. "I suppose being alone for so long just made it worse. I had no one to tell these troubles to. No one but Zero."

Hearing these words, the ghostly pup flies over to the couch and gently lays the rib bone on Jack's knee. The skeleton takes it without a word and attempts to shake all the slobber off. The dog whines as he comes to his master's side, hovering his 'paws' over his leg. Sally rubs the side of Jack's arm as he pops the bone back in, feeling nothing but sympathy for him.

"It sounds like you didn't have a pleasant home experience, either..." She comments quietly.

He looks at her. She's surprised to see a grin growing on his face. He takes her hands in his own excitedly.

"-And that's exactly _it_, Sally! You're here now. How I felt in those pictures - how you saw me back then - is _nothing_ compared to how I am _now_. I have you and Zero by my side, and I'm sharing my home with you. You've already made me such a happy man, and having you here with me makes it impossible for me to feel lonely again."

She smiles, squeezing his hands back. "I don't feel lonely anymore, either."

His stitched grin grows wider as his gaze comes to her face. He leans forward with slight hesitation. She understands right away. She leans forward and closes her eyes as they kiss. Zero wags his sheet in delight as he watches them. As they pull away, there's a look of relief on her face.

"The longer I'm with you, the more I realize how similar we really are." She confesses. "When I was trapped in my room all the time, it was the loneliest feeling in the world. Especially after I met you."

He lowers his skull and rests his forehead against hers. "-The moment I met you, every second away made me restless."

She blushes. He grips her hand tighter and brings them off the couch. He leads her out of the den and into the hallway - to the same place she spotted the pictures in the first place. They both stand there in front of the arrangement, looking at the various photographs together. When she looks at the same pictures, she feels different about them. They still upset her knowing he was so depressed at that time. But seeing the current Jack beside her, grinning widely and gripping her hand tightly, quickly assures her that things are better now.

He points a bony finger to the pictures in front of them. "You know what the best part of all of this? Now that you're here, we're going to make our own collection. I'll get rid of these old photos and replace them with ones I'll have with you."

He turns to her and winks. "-And you'll _certainly_ know I'm going to be happy in those."

She laughs. "I'd like that."

He brings their hands up, clutching her small ones in his own. He didn't think she would care about something as small as this, noticing how upset he looked years ago. It means incredibly much, and leaves him to reflect on how his death is now. He can already imagine the walls filled with photos of him and Sally - the smile on his lips as genuine as his feelings for her.

"I love you."

The words leave his mouth as he stares at her in a moment of tenderness. She brushes her hair back and flutters her eyes at him. _So beautiful._

"I love you, too."

* * *

The Pumpkin King drums his fingers along his knee as he carefully watches Sally. She is several inches away from him holding a dress above her figure. Her eyes uncertainly lock with his sockets as he observes the sight. After a moment, he gives her a confident nod and smiles, brushing some dirt off of one of his lapels.

"You got the blood color perfect, and the spiderwebs look so detailed! You'll look breathtaking."

She gives him a shy smile and nods along, returning the dress to its place in her closet. He adores spending this time with her - helping Sally with her little projects, and giving advice on her ideas. He loves her creativity and admires her talents. In this case, she's been asking him for advice on making a dress that, in her words, "_screamed 'Halloween'_". This last one did the job, as he liked the Vampire look she was going for.

"Thank you, Jack. I thought if anyone would know the most about this, it would be _you_."

He rests his skull in his hand and eyes her coyly. "Asking the master - a wise decision!"

"I just made dresses out of whatever I could before, but...with all of these fabrics you have, I'm going to make things that'll help me fit in with the town."

"Not that you **have** to _'fit in'_ here..."

She smirks. "You know what I mean. "

He hums as she organizes a little in her closet. He sits on the edge of her bed and gazes out of her open window. It feels refreshing to spend his breaks at home. Before she was around, he'd kill time by sitting around in the Graveyard or doing paperwork - neither of which was as appealing as spending time with his girlfriend. His thoughts begin to wander until he finds the blue figure stepping into view. Her hands are currently behind her back. He gives her his full attention as she stands in front of him, hesitating to speak at first.

"I wanted to mention this to you, but...I was hanging some of our pictures the other day, and I came across one of yours that I wanted to ask about."

He arches an eye socket curiously. She brings her hands out from behind her back and reveals one of the photos he had hanging up. He takes it and observes it. It was a picture taken on a past Halloween, with him perched on the town fountain while all the citizens stood in front. Everyone is either smiling or baring their teeth and claws in excitement. He isn't sure what Sally is curious about, and gives her a look for her to elaborate. She sits beside him and points to himself sitting on the fountain - grinning proudly in his Pumpkin King form.

"This is you, isn't it?"

"Why, yes it is. "

"That's what I thought." She fiddles with her fingers. "I recognized you, but it isn't how you _usually_ look. I've only seen that scarecrow a couple times before...and I always wanted to ask you about it..."

He sets the photo aside. "What exactly do you want to know?"

"-Is it a costume? You only ever look like that on Halloween."

"...Well, sort of..."

She gives him a confused loo,. He isn't sure how to explain it and makes a few motions in the air with his hands. "It's a special form of mine I only save for Halloween, because there's really no use for it when I'm not scaring."

"...'Special form'..?"

By now, he doesn't know how to else to make his point across. He decides to simply _show_ her instead of fumbling over his words. He closes his eye sockets and focuses for a moment, soon feeling a hot sensation spread through his body. Where he once felt little weight is now covered in straw, his clothes replaced with a burnt umber jacket torn at the sleeves. He opens his sockets and finds his vision slightly more narrowed - the familiar lens he sees through the cut slits of a pumpkin head.

Two fiery pupils dart over to Sally, who looks astonished. She even scooted back during his transformation, as the sudden flames startled her. His hands - the bones now replaced with bark and his fingers with sticks, motion to his body casually.

"_-This._" He states simply.

The ragdoll isn't sure what to say. In a matter of seconds, Jack managed to completely transform his body into something...**_new_**. A _scarecrow_ instead of a skeleton. She wonders if he is still under there somewhere - his skull hidden behind that pumpkin, or his bones underneath all that straw...She's never seen this being up close. Only the few glimpses on Halloween night, where she watched it dance around the fountain and jump in the water. Or the time it blew fire in her direction. She remembers being confused the first time she saw it disappear and Jack come in its place. Now of all that make sense. _It was the same person all along._

Her jaw gapes open in surprise. "I thought it was a costume..."

"Why would the scariest man around need a **_costume_**?"

She almost feels like she's looking and speaking to a different person. If it wasn't for his voice, she wouldn't even know she is talking to the same Jack Skellington. She comes forward and curiously pokes at his straw, wondering if it's real. It very much is.

"H-How is this...possible? I mean, for-for you to change how you look, and-" She pokes at his pumpkin head and notices he winces. "Are you under there?"

"You can poke all you'd like, but you're not going to feel any bone anytime soon."

She pulls her hand away. Even if it doesn't look like the same skeleton man, she knows it's her Jack. And despite how different he looks...she finds some charm in what she's looking at. This scarecrow is still as skinny as Jack, the chest and shoulders being the widest part of its body. And while the hands are now practically sticks, they're still as long and large. The longer she stares at it, the more similarities she finds to the skeleton she's grown to love.

"You're looking at me for an awfully long time." He comments. "Do you...not like it?"

"Oh, no! I'm just curious, that's all." She reaches forward and attempts to put a finger through the mouth of the pumpkin. He backs away and urges her hand down.

"I don't want to burn you." He warns.

"There's fire?"

The dumbfounded look on her face tells him that he's leaving more questions than answers. He soon sighs, finding his breath hot as the fire warms the air. It didn't occur to him that he'd have to explain this eventually to Sally - the rest of the Town has simply known his abilities and Pumpkin King form for years. It was partially why he was accredited the way he was.

"When you first asked me what 'The Pumpkin King' meant...I forgot to mention you that I am also called that because of..._this._" He gestures to his form again. "I'm credited for being the scariest - but it's not all necessarily because of what I can do as a skeleton. It's because of this being that I partially am."

"So, really, you're a...scarecrow, _and_ a skeleton?"

He hesitates. "In a weird way, yes."

She looks to be thinking for a long time. He doesn't interrupt her and sits there, quietly hoping she won't think of him any differently. The time would've inevitably come she'd see him like this...

"This explains why you felt so hot when I met you in the Graveyard after that Halloween." She leans forward and trails a hand on the pumpkin again. "-It feels cold right now, though."

"I'm controlling myself. I don't want the flames harming you, or your cloth skin..."

She looks down at her stitched skin. Only now she realizes how flammable she truly is - consisting mostly of cloth on her body. Her leaves swell in delight hearing how careful he is. She leans forward and wraps her arms around his body, quietly noting how different their embrace feels when he's like this. It feels... strangely nice.

His fingers hesitantly come to her back. They're no longer as pointy as his phalanges, but the grip is still firm. "I can change out of this if you want...it might be a little strange not seeing me as a skeleton-"

She interrupts him. "-I love you no matter what you look like."

He lets out a surprised noise. He wasn't expecting that answer. Regardless, he holds her close as those words sink in. How ridiculous it was to think she'd like this appearance of his less. Sally pulls back and smiles at him. He's unable to share it, but he hopes she knows that he's smiling as well. Without any warning, she leans forward and leaves a kiss on his pumpkin. The feeling is strange - as he can feel her lips on him and it still leaves delightful tingles - but the fact that he can't return it leaves him feeling unsatisfied.

He cocks his head to the side in disappointment. "That feels much better when I have _lips_..."

She holds his hand and intertwines their fingers, giggling. "I think so, too."

He comes forward and wraps his thin arms around her figure, leading them both down onto the blankets of her bed. She laughs as she feels his lips on her neck, leaving a trail of kisses along her stitches. It didn't even take him more than a minute to switch back. It leaves her relieved to see his familiar face again. Not that she doesn't find his other appearance enticing in its own ways - to her, he's always going to be the attractive skeleton man she's grown to care for, but seeing his smile and feeling his gentle touch on her makes her feel more..._safe._ His true look is one that is etched into her mind as her protector and her lover...

He pulls back and notices the bright smile on her ruby lips. His smile falters. "-Does it scare you?"

"What does?"

"That scarecrow. It doesn't frighten you, does it?"

She thinks a little about the question, her fingers gripping the sides of his suit in thought. After a moment, she replies, "A little. It's unsettling knowing it can burn me...but I'll get used to it."

"I wouldn't ever hurt you, Sal."

He says those words with such deep sincerity that it gives her goosebumps. She caresses his skull. "I know you wouldn't, Jack."

He brings his hand into hers again and they squeeze simultaneously. There is a moment of quietness between them, the skeleton's face undergoing many expressions as Sally watches him thoughtfully. He lowers his skull and rests it beside her head. "There are parts of me that I..._forget_ about. The scarecrow is just one of them." His grasp becomes tighter. "It's a part of me I can't change. I become this person on Halloween - a different entity - when I scare humans and creatures..."

"How is that a bad thing?" She bats her eyelashes at him. "The vampires can turn into bats, but it does not change who they are."

"You weren't even sure it was _me._"

"But now I _know_ it's you. How can I possibly be afraid?"

He thinks of everything he is capable of in that moment - breathing fire through that pumpkin, easily hiding and becoming part of the shadows, and losing all stiffness in his bones if he ever so desires. It enables him to bend backwards and into disconcerting poses, crawling like a spider while having an incredible sight in the dark. Not to mention how fast he can move with his limbs, which he found is very unsettling to the humans. All of these he has used to scare mortals and alike. To build his reputation to being the most horrifying creature known.

But as he looks at Sally, he feels...**different**. He's a gentleman and a kind soul to his citizens, but they are scary creatures in their nature who have grown used to frightening sights. They find it rather _pleasant_. The whole time he's known her, he never had an urge to impose any of his shrieks or moans on Sally. She is a kind, innocent ragdoll who does not understand the horror or Halloween. For that reason, she's never seen his _true_, terrifying self.

And he isn't sure if she ever should.

With her, the only urges he feels are ones of romantic intention and desire. He craves her company, her words, her kind advice - the sound of her voice and the feeling of her soft fingertips on his bones. Her lips pressed against his stitched ones, soothingly telling him she's there and that she loves him. To keep her in his death so he's not lonesome or depressed anymore. Nowhere in these urges does he find a want to frighten her - although such a thing brings happiness to most creatures in Halloween Town, Jack does not want to scare Sally in any way.

He wants to keep her safe. Protected. And he'll do that as Jack Skellington.

He digs his nasal bone into her shoulder, inhaling her perfume greedily. "-Of course not. No reason _to_, my love."

She leaves a kiss on the top of his skull. "I mean it when I say I love you no matter what you look like to me."

He grins, his fingers snaking their way to her sides. "Of course."

* * *

_**A/N:** Yeah, I like to go with the headcanon that Jack is actually able to form into that Pumpkin King Scarecrow. :P Oogie's Revenge had this as a concept and some people didn't like it - but I think it's interesting for Jack to be both a skeleton AND a scarecrow! It also brings up some juicy points on how **different** he may act in this certain form...and if Sally may ever see that..._

_Also, I noticed, despite it being quite a reoccurring thing in the last story, Jack and Sally have rarely said 'I love you' in here. Simply blasphemous! I can't believe no one pointed that out to me._


	7. The Old Seamstress

"-Two gallons of ectoplasm, thirty layers or so of cobwebs and...I think that's it!"

The Mayor's joyous voice booms as the final stack of paperwork falls onto the table. The tall skeleton across from him smiles, grabbing it and sorting it into the proper bin. They both sigh in relief as they continue to work. Finally, the biggest project of the day - _finished_. If all goes well, everything else should go by like a breeze and they can go home early.

In these final hours of his work, Jack Skellington starts to think about returning to the Manor. To the now-occupied walls of his home, with his ghostly dog and girlfriend waiting for him to step through those doors. Rejoicing with the love of his death, holding her tight as he slides his fingers through her blood-colored hair...They would settle in the night with a lovely supper, and likely talk about their days-

"I must say, we've been getting such terrible work done lately!" His coworker's voice snaps him out of his thoughts. "I don't think I've seen you this inspired in years!"

He bows his skull down humbly. His inspiration is obvious with how excited he is to work nowadays. His enthusiasm must've been picked up by those around him, which isn't very surprising. One's high spirits for Halloween tends to be very contagious here.

The Mayor notices his silence and grins widely. "-Although, I suppose we have **Sally** to thank for that, don't we?"

The Pumpkin King brings his head up slowly. If he had skin, he was sure the faintest blush would be showing on his cheeks right now. Instead, the ends of his smile twitch in delight. There is a knowing look somewhere in the Mayor's swirled eye, as oblivious as he can be, sometimes.

"It just took some time for this old skull to come up with new ideas." He knocks on the side of it for effect. "Once I was in a horrible mood again, the inspiration just came!" He leans back a little in his chair. "-_That_, and she does have wonderful ideas."

"Oh? Like what?"

He sets his feathered pen down and stares at the table in thought. So many words want to slip off his tongue in that moment - but the last thing he wants to do is blab on and on about Sally in the middle of work. Although the idea of talking about his sweetheart sounded heavenly to him...

"She's quite talented in making clothes, you see - designing them. She's come to me with all sorts of fabrics and ideas...layering the cobwebs was inspired by her. She did something very similar with a dress one time."

"How horrible! I didn't even know that was her idea!"

He smiles, and the conversation dies down from there. They continue to work across from each other in silence. The skeleton feels a litle distracted, remembering all the cute dresses Sally has shown him...the way she twirls around for him after she tries them on, fluttering her eyes at him as she asks him what he thinks...It makes his bones swell, and suddenly his suit feels a little tight again.

The Mayor drops his pencils and hums in thought. His gaze soon comes back to Jack, and he learns on the desk casually. "Maybe we could talk about some things off the record..? It's been awhile since we've caught up!"

He looks at him curiously before setting down his own work. Rarely would the man be willing to talk about anything _but_ Halloween. "That sounds awful. Why not?"

"Well, how are things going with Sally? I assume she's all settled in, being with you for a little while now."

"She's adjusting nicely. She's been plenty curious about things around my home. It's nice having someone around again."

"Right! You've been living with Zero all this time." His tone almost sounds sympathetic. "If you ask me, it's about time you're finally living with a woman like Sally."

"I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, Mayor." He sounds smitten as he rests his skull in his hand. "Falling in love is the most terrible thing that's happened to me. I feel like I'm a whole new skeleton!"

He chuckles. "It's nice to see you this excited. I was almost starting to think something was different about you. You've never talked this much through work, and we've had some meetings that came to no luck before."

"There shouldn't be anything like that anymore. Not when I'm _this_ inspired!"

The man falls quiet. He himself doesn't understand the same feelings his superior is going through - but he feels happy for him, regardless. Anything that can get the Pumpkin King back on his feet and focused on Halloween is alright with him. And from what he's known of Sally, back in the days where he'd pay visits to the Doctor...she is something special. He never would have guessed she'd become the rotten apple of Jack's eye.

That was the thing about Halloween Town - although it isn't an irregular occurrence for creatures and spirits to become enamored with one another, it isn't their purpose. Everyone understands how to scare and express loyalty to Halloween - but love is an entirely different thing. Many would argue it was an experience only _truly_ held by mortals and humans.

However, as the Mayor watches Jack closely for the rest of their time...he notices the differences. The smile on his lips that remains there even through the toughest of work - the endless inspiration that strikes him every time after he talks about Sally. How quickly he leaves the Town Hall to return home - coming into work the next day, ready to start the process all over again as if he's been refreshed in some way.

It's then he's beginning to understand.

* * *

Things begin to settle down in Halloween Town's shopping plaza. Lunch time just passed, and somewhere in the next couple of hours, most vendors will take small breaks to wait out the time until the sun sets. This includes the witches, Helgamine and Zeldaborne, who decide to temporarily close up shop while they talk by the town fountain. Most of their 'talks' nowadays consist of only one thing. Ever since they had that unfortunate confrontation from the Pumpkin King himself, they've been left feeling confused, heartbroken, and most of all, bothered.

"**'A Pumpkin Queen'...**" Zeldaborne mutters to herself.

Helgamine crosses her thin arms as she sits next to her sister, folding a leg over the other and holding her nose high in the air.

"-I don't even think it'll happen. Jack may be with her now, but it'll take a lot more than that for him to settle down." She turns her head at her sister's silence and crooks an eyebrow. "Do you?"

The shorter witch hangs her head low. "He sounded like he meant it. And he was so upset when he came to us. What if he really does love her that much?"

The thought makes the tall witch shudder. Countless years of being one of Jack Skellington's admirers - thrown away to a woman who was barely made. Helgamine and her sister are upset. How can they not be? But they have to remember his wishes - and did exactly as he had asked.

The day after he spoke to them, they felt guilty over the whole ordeal. They talked with the fellow women of their circle and attempted to explain how Jack was furious over the way they were speaking about Sally. It was a long discussion filled with heartbreak and tears - but they all ended in a unanimous agreement to respect what hey had. If not, to at least act polite. At the expense of their King finally being happy.

It doesn't mean they aren't still sour about it at times. Zeldaborne often mopes about it. She cried the most while they struggled to accept it. Helgamine, on the other hand, seethes quietly on the inside. She often debates on doing something unpleasant to Sally. But then she has to talk herself out of it, realizing Jack would just be utterly enraged. And that is the last thing she, or anyone else for that matter, wants.

"...Maybe...maybe he does..." Helgamine confesses quietly.

They both sit there listening to the water. It takes a long time before either of them speak. It's Zeldaborne, who fidgets with the end of her broomstick.

"We disappointed him. He never sounded so upset with us before."

Helgamine adds, "-He even threatened to kick us from this year's Halloween..."

"I don't want to hear him that mad again..."

They look at each other and frown. How ugly they had acted towards her - and it nearly costed them their good terms with Jack. How could they have been so blindsided by jealousy and possessiveness over someone who wasn't theirs to begin with? Their guilt overshadows whatever envy they have left, and sit there in contemplative silence as they wait for time to pass.

. . .

_"Hey there, Sally!" "How are you doing today?" "Hi, Sally!" "Miss Sally! You look awful today!"_

Sally Finklestein smiles modestly and waves at all of the monsters she passes by. She is heading into town to pick up a few things, but she doesn't expect to have such warm greetings sent her way. She carries her basket in her hands as she continues on. She wants to make this as fast as possible so she can return home in time to catch Jack before it gets too late.

Just when she is about to approach the small stand she wishes to buy from, a couple of voices startle her.

_"Sally!"_

The ragdoll jumps in surprise before turning on her heel. She finds the witches, Helgamine and Zeldaborne, approaching her. She momentarily feels a little afraid after what happened last time, and instinctively clutches onto her basket tighter. She freezes in place the moment they get closer, but then she notices the smiles on their faces. They're currently waving at her.

"We didn't expect to see you out." Helgamine begins, clutching her hands behind her back. "How...how are you doing?"

The kindness in her voice sounds forced and uncomfortable. But the smile at least seems genuine. She bows her head slightly. "Oh, well, I'm doing fine. I was going to buy a few things-"

"How horrendous! You picked the right time of day to come." Zeldaborne awkwardly cuts her off. The three of them are silent afterwards.

Sally feels a little guilty, remembering she was supposed to see them sooner. She wanted to come by their shop and ask for an apology, and see if they could become friends. She must've forgotten about it with how busy she became with other things - what with talking to the Doctor and Jewel, and working on all the new dresses she's making. She completely forgot about them over time.

They look at each other before bringing their gaze to the doll. "Say, would you like to...stop by our shop? And have a little chat?" Helgamine offers. "We have a few things we'd like to say to you..."

"Oh." She blinks a few times. She wants to leave quickly, but this shouldn't take long. "Sure."

The Witches look relieved at her answer and guide her back to their place. She feels a tad bit uncomfortable feeling their hands on her back, but she appreciates the kindness they're displaying. They soon lead her into Witches' Goods and to the back of the store. They pull up a few chairs and politely offer her a seat across the counter. She accepts.  
They sit there awkwardly at first. Eventually, the silence is broken by Zeldaborne. She looks down and sighs deeply, having a hard time making eye contact.

"We know we were, _eh_, cruel to you the last time we saw you..."

Helgamine mimics her sister's behavior. She adds, "We're sorry it took us this long to tell you but...well, we just haven't seen you around and all. We want to-" She audibly sucks at her teeth. "-**_Apologize_**. For saying those ugly things to you and pushing you, and all that."

Her eyes widen in surprise. She hadn't expected to receive an apology so soon. The mournful looks on their faces convince her that they're sincere about it. It is in Sally's nature to be kind and share some sort of understanding with others. The Witches are just jealous women who obsessed over Jack for so long. It must have been a difficult time when she came and won over his heart so soon. She can at least understand that.

_Still._ When they took out their frustrations on her, it gave her bad memories with the Doctor...which, she is able to shrug off now. He was willing to change, and from what she sees, the Witches are, too.

"It's alright." She soon tells them. "You two were just jealous. And I can see why." Her courage drops down as she gazes into her lap. "I didn't mean to take Jack away from you. Or to do anything at _all_, really. We just shared something special. And with how much time we spent together, it turned into something more very quickly..."

Hearing this doesn't help the situation. The Witches feel like they're burning in their seats. They have to calm each other by sharing a sympathetic look. They're here to apologize to her like Jack asked them to. It doesn't mean they should like any part of this - but that's the result of being polite. Acting nice even when you really don't want to.

"Of course, of course! We understand." Helgamine says through gritted teeth.

"And we're very happy for you both," Her sister adds, also through her teeth.

The ragdoll looks up and smiles, clasping her hands. "Thank you! I can't tell you how relieving it is to hear. I was so worried about how you'd take the news...I thought you hated me from the last time we spoke."

"-**_Hate_** you? _No_! Why should we?" The tall woman looks at her like she's crazy.

"I just thought...in your perspective, since I'm not scary or rich like he is...that I don't deserve him. And that you'd feel awful about me for having him, anyway."

Truly, she hit the nail on the coffin. But they aren't going to tell her that. They can't build up any energy to convince her otherwise, so instead, they shake their heads and act like this is the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard, even though they said similar things before. Her ruby lips smile again in relief.

Zeldaborne pokes at her warts before speaking again, hesitantly. "By the way, when you asked us if we had any sewing supplies...we were honest with you. We don't. But we _do_ know about the old seamstress that was around here once."

"She was quite a frightening lady! Very talented, she was." The other sister chimes in. "We talked a lot with her before she had to leave town."

"Why _did_ she leave?" Sally leans forward curiously. The Witches look uncomfortable at this question.

"No one likes to speak of it. It's not an unpleasant reason as it is." Helgamine looks uncertain to tell her, so Zeldaborne cuts in. Even she looks disturbed having to explain.

"She, eh, ate children and kept their souls. To survive. None of us knew about it at first, which was why she was kept here as it is, but...when Jack found out, he was very upset, you see. She had been his personal tailor for so many years!"

"But being in Halloween Town has its rules. We all agree not to be mean and scare only with frightening intentions. Not to harm, or actually **kill**, anyone..."

The ragdoll isn't sure how to feel. This news makes her stomach twist unpleasantly. Jack only mentioned this woman moving away...maybe he was just sparing her from the gruesome details. She almost regrets asking in the first place.

"That sounds awful..."

"It was. Jack has little patience for these things - she was banished right away. Haven't seen her since." Helgamine suddenly tsks. "I just hope she's leaving the children alone. We love to cast spells on the little tricksters - can't exactly do that with people like her eating them all!"

"Anyway-" Zeldaborne side glances at her. "I only mention it because her old place might still has some supplies you can use, if you're unlucky. That is, if Jack hasn't spoiled you with _enough_, already."

The image of her grand room and sewing machine with a new desk comes into mind. She feels a little guilty and rubs her arm with a frown. Quietly, she asks, "Where is this place?"

"It's not _here_ \- on the other hill, where all of our homes are." Sally understands she means the residential area. "If you take a right at the library, it'll be down the street. When you see an abandoned building - wood probably long rotten by now - that'll be it."

"Abandoned? How come I've never seen it before?"

"You didn't get out a lot, I know that!" Helgamine laughs. "It's out of the way. No one likes to go near it - it reminds us of _her_, and we'd rather not remember that. Not with the little lumplings everywhere now."

"I see..."

"You should go on by and check it. It's not haunted; the ghosts have no need! They've got their pumpkins back in the Graveyard for that sort of thing."

While the conversation has certainly turned darker, it also feels like the mood has been lightened. The Witches don't look like they're harboring any negative feelings about her anymore. It feels refreshing to have a normal conversation with them again. One that wasn't obsessing over Jack or humiliating her. Oddly, the Witches seem nice. Informative. She hopes they can be friends so she can learn more from them.

"Thank you. I appreciate you inviting me in here, and I accept your apology. I'll be sure to visit that place sometime."

She gets up from her chair and, surprisingly, the sisters look almost disappointed that she's leaving. They stand from their seats and come to her side. They even help her with her basket as she leaves through the door, and stops her just before she's about to leave.

"Thank you for listening to us. You do seem like a nice girl...despite everything." Zeldaborne shares a hesitant look with the woman next to her.

"If you'd like, we can arrange something together sometime." Helgamine suggests slowly. "We have some _ghoulfriends_ of ours we can introduce you to."

The ragdoll pauses before smiling. Being invited to such a thing takes her completely by surprise. It makes her feel even better about the whole situation.

"That sounds lovely. We can do that sometime. I'll let you know when I am free."

The two look almost happy that she accepted! They bid their goodbyes and allow Sally to continue on her way. She finishes her business in the market and leaves just as the sun is setting. Her smile wavers a little as she finds the sky now a mixture of orange and red. Her talk with those Witches took just a little longer than she anticipated...

* * *

When she is only a couple of minutes away from the Manor, Sally takes a seat on a nearby bench and sets her basket down. There's a lot on her mind that she wants to get sorted out before she sees Jack. Particularly, she wants to think of the questions she'll ask him about this old seamstress and her abandoned shop...Should she go alone, or ask him to come with? It's pretty trivial, and she doesn't want to bother him to go. Plus, she's perfectly capable of doing these things by herself! She just isn't sure if she'll need a key to get there, or if she even _should_. It's her only chance at getting more sewing supplies...but the situation bothers her, knowing what might've taken place in those walls...

She begins to bite at her lip and rests her head in her hand. Her mind is troubled thinking of this old seamstress. Is it something she should even talk about with Jack? Judging by what she's heard, it must've hard for him to banish his old tailor. She wouldn't want to bring any bad memories-

_"Meow!"_

She jumps a few inches in the air as a sudden noise startles her. She whips her head around to find a small black cat approaching the bench. Sally relaxes and sits forward to greet the creature. The feline comes forward and nestles its head under her hand, leading it along its body as it walks between the her legs. As her fingers caress the rough hair, her mind turns blank as she focuses on the cat.

"It's you again." She says softly.

When she was locked in Finklestein's tower, sometimes she would find a cat in the alleys perched on the walls. During the long nights where she hopefully stared at Jack's study, the cat would be around below, mewing and watching her window. She eventually came into contact with the creature after she began sneaking out to meet with Jack. It took a little time, but it grew used to Sally, and even allowed her to pet it in her lap.

She remembers growing particularly curious with the animal just after she met Zero. At the time, it was new for her to interact with any animal. But now that she's been around a ghostly dog for awhile, she's grown other curiosities. What would it be like to own a pet of her own like Jack did? To have a small companion by your side; a creature to help calm you in times of stress...

The cat looks at her before jumping into her lap. She takes this time to continue petting it as her thoughts wander. She can hear it slightly purring from the contact. She giggles as it licks her finger. She's always loved Zero, but she's grown a little fond of this cat and almost forgot about it with how much has been going on. It must've gotten confused not seeing her around the tower anymore.

The animal quickly decides it's done and jumps off of her, scurrying off into the shadows. Sally frowns a little as she watches it leave. She soon collects her things and continues on her way home. When she approaches the Skellington Manor, she finds the windows lit and accompanied with noises coming from inside.

* * *

Sally Finklestein climbs the stairs to the Manor with a little guilt. She had been hoping to be home before _him_, but time dwindled, as it usually did. She opens the doors and feels the warmth from inside engulf her cold figure. She sighs in relief as she steps inside and sets her basket down by the door. Before she can get a good look at what's going on, she is suddenly scooped into the thin arms of Jack Skellington. She finds herself in a warm embrace and relaxes against the chest in front of her. All of her thoughts from the day vanish the longer she is lovingly held.

"Welcome home." He greets. She shivers at his voice and holds his arms.

"Thank you...I'm home."

He lets go of her and stands back with a toothy smile. She brushes her hair behind her shoulder as she modestly reaches for her basket. Jack takes a curious look at it and she shows him what's inside without hesitation - some groceries, and a few extra ingredients she gathered from the stands in the plaza. He smiles again and leans down to kiss her forehead.

"Took a trip into the market?" He asks.

She nods and covers the basket again. "I don't know how often you get groceries, but I went ahead and gathered some. If you want, I can start making dinner right now-"

"-No need! I started cooking the moment I got back." He takes the basket from her hands and leads them into the kitchen. "I'm preparing a small roast for the two of us. I thought it'd be a nice change of pace with you coming home to a warm meal."

She watches wordlessly as he puts away the food. Her black eyes travel to the rest of the kitchen, finding used bowls and ingredients messily laying about. The oven is nearly finished cooking the roast, and she can smell a delicious scent in the air. She bows her head when she finds her mouth watering.

"It is nice to come to this," She tells him. "I can't wait to try it."

"That's exactly what I want to hear!"

When the groceries are put away, he gives her the basket and she thanks him. She returns it to her room, where she stars to relax for the evening. She kicks off her shoes and spends a few minutes thoughtfully sitting on her bed. The seamstress is still on her mind, as are the Witches and the alley cat...that is, until the skeleton informs her that their supper is ready. She meets him at the dining table, where their servings are respectfully waiting for them. She takes a seat across from Jack and thanks him for the food before even tasting it. When she takes the first bite, she feels like she's tasting **_heaven._**

"So delicious...You need to give me this recipe!"

He chuckles. "I have all the cookbooks you can _imagine_, Sal."

She eagerly looks up from her plate. "May I read some? I'd love to make new dishes."

"Of course! I have quite a big library here - I showed you it the first day, didn't I? My cookbooks are all organized in their own section. I have so many; I don't think I've read them all!"

She vividly remembers his giant collection of books he showed her during his small tour of their home. She was excited at such a sight - all of the novels and stories he had, stacked together on endless shelves...Even though he provided Sally with her own collection of romance novels right in her room, she found herself curious with other books, like cooking recipes. The only downside is - his library is in his study, which is on the third floor. It discourages her from climbing the three sets of stairs to get to it. But for something like this - she'd have to make an exception!

"How did work go?" She asks him curiously, wanting to make conversation. He looks up in surprise before wiping his mouth and clearing his throat.

"It went splendid. Like any other work day, really." The memory of him gushing about Sally to the Mayor comes to his mind, and he shrinks into his shoulders in embarrassment. "How-how about yours..?"

"Mine? It went well." She plays with her food in thought. "It was interesting."

"Interesting? _Do_ elaborate."

He leans forward in interest, resting his jaw on his knuckles. Her cheeks grow a little red at his eagerness. "The Witches talked to me today. They said they were sorry for how they acted, and we talked a little bit."

"That's wonderful! I was hoping they would come around. They did treat you with upmost respect, didn't they?"

"Oh, they did. I almost feel like they were being too nice." She laughs slightly. "But they told me they knew where I could get the sewing supplies I wanted. What I asked them for in the first place."

"Where did they say?"

She pauses, wondering if this is appropriate to bring up. She boldly continues. "-Well, they finally explained to me why the old seamstress left...and a little bit about her. They said her old store is where I might find some fabrics and supplies that I need."

Jack is quiet for a moment. She looks up in surprise after hearing nothing and finds him deeply in thought. He finally looks up and catches her stare, then rubs the back of his skull in shame.

"I'm sorry - it's just been awhile since anyone has talked about her..."

"Apparently, no one really likes to talk about it here..." Her eyes droop. "You told me she moved away, but now that I know what happened...I can't blame you for banishing her."

He's silent again. She looks at him once more. His gaze is fixated on his plate with narrowed eye sockets. He grabs for his glass of water and brings it to his lips. Without even looking at Sally, he replies in a dark tone, "-**We have strict rules here that some tend to neglect...**"

She doesn't say anything. She isn't sure what _to_ say, after hearing his tone. He sets down his glass and looks at her again - this time, with a smile.

"I was looking out for my people. There were innocent children getting harmed with her around! As much as she was needed around here, I prioritized the safety of my citizens over her." He looks down and shrugs, his lips falling into a frown. "Even though we lack a seamstress now, I at least feel more comfortable without her around..."

Something sounds hesitant about that last sentence. She doesn't think much of it. She drops her fork and gives him an endearing look. "You're a good King, Jack."

He looks up and finds her smile. _It's contagious like it always is._

"I just wish I had found out about it sooner. Before children had died under my watch." He crosses his arms and drums his phalanges on his arm. "It's not easy doing these things..."

"I understand why you didn't tell me. It wasn't a very good story." She desperately gets to the point. "-Which was why I was considering taking the Witches' advice and visiting that old store...it's abandoned, from what they told me."

"Truthfully, the Mayor and I forget about it some years. We've wanted to turn it into _something_ for many years now, rather than having it sitting there and rot, but...we couldn't think of anything good enough to replace an old sewing shop."

It's at this moment Sally starts to feel strange. Her phantom heart begins to race as her fingers tingle. An idea surfaces in her mind - but one she is not bold enough to say. Instead, she perks up in her chair and taps the side of her glass in thought.

"I can at least go down there and help clean things out, in case you do think of something to do with it..."

The skeleton looks at her and notices the hint of her tone. He hums thoughtfully before taking another bite of his dinner. It's a good point he and the Mayor should discuss soon - what on Halloween's name to do with the abandoned sewing shop...? His eye sockets glance back to Sally, who finishes her serving quietly. Something clicks in his head right away.

"I don't mind if you go and check it out. It should be safe - but even then, it never hurts to be wary." He fishes for something in his pocket and pulls out a key. He leans forward and places it down in front of his girlfriend. "Use this skeleton key on the door if it's locked. Should bring you right inside."

Her eyes light up as she takes it. "Really? I can..._go_ there?"

"Why wouldn't you?" He looks at her incredulously. "You're free to do as you wish. It'll be fantastic if you find exactly what you're looking for."

She grins in excitement as she twirls the key in her hand. Her eyes drop down to the table in thought. "Maybe I can ask the Hanging Tree with me when I go...? He knows more than me when it comes to this stuff."

"What a good idea! Hopefully, the two of you can find something worthwhile there. I don't believe she had that much time to clean up, anyway."

Her phantom heart continues to race in euphoria. So she really _can_ check this out! For a moment, she thought Jack would stop her and insist such a thing was unnecessary...but she was foolish for thinking he'd discourage her interests in any way. She clutches the skeleton key close to her before sliding it in her dress pocket. The figure across the table watches her intently.

"All I ask, Sally, is that you be **very careful** once you're there. No one has stepped foot in that place for years. And while _she_ may not live there anymore, sometimes the spirit of dishonest creatures lingers in old places. They may not mean well at times."

"I'll be fine. I'm not going to be alone, if things go right." She assures him. "Thank you for worrying about me."

Something unpleasant brews in his rib cage. Something about this doesn't feel quite right - but what does he have to worry, with how careful Sally is? All he can hope is that she doesn't stumble across anything unpleasant. He nods at her and she makes a delighted noise. She goes to finish her dinner, and Jack watches her quietly before slowly eating at his.

_Everything should be alright..who is he kidding?_


	8. A Planned Surprise

Sally prepares for an important trip today, slipping herself into her patchwork dress first thing in the morning. She finds herself avoiding it nowadays, as it reminds her of the old treatment she received back at Finklestein's. Where she was forced to use leftover fabrics and scraps to sew together just to make clothing...Looking at it in her mirror now makes her feel unpleasant. But it is the best thing to wear, if she is going somewhere that is old, dusty, and worn down.

She makes room in her basket that will hopefully be filled by the end of the day. By the time she is ready, she finds Jack idling around in his den. He looks to be somewhat anxious, pacing around in a small line in thought. He stops once she comes into the room and relaxes when they meet at the door. She leans on her tiptoes for a kiss. He receives the message and bends down to leave one on her lips.

"Are you leaving now?" He asks.

"Yes, I'm going to find the Hanging Tree and ask him if he'd like to come."

He frowns. "I doubt anything will happen while the two of you are there, but-"

"-_Jack_." Her voice stops his thoughts. She comes forward to rub his arm soothingly. "It's sweet of you to worry about me. I promise I'll be fine."

His posture softens. How could he not, after all they've been through? "-If you find anything that needs my attention, I'll be right in the Town Hall. You're free to come and get me."

She nods and leans forward one last time to peck his cheek. She bids her goodbye and leaves the mansion, carefully climbing down the stairs and waving to her beloved as she passes through the gates. He watches her figure disappear into town without a word, then slowly closes the door behind him.

Her absence makes him feel strangely cold.

* * *

It takes a few minutes for Sally to realize that she doesn't exactly know where her friend would be. She isn't sure where anyone here lives, aside from the Doctor and Jack. She wanders around for several minutes before stumbling right upon the tree. She accidentally bumps his side while he is walking by. When he turns around, he jumps in delight.

"Sally!" He exclaims, his sharpened grin widening. "How awful it is to see you!"

"Hello, Hanging Tree." She ducks to greet the skeletons on his branches. "-Hello to you five as well."

They lean their skulls to the side and greet her right back. He leads them out of the way to let her sit down for a moment. She brushes her hair behind her ear and gazes around at their environment. It is a beautiful day out right now - there are clouds currently forming in the sky.

"Is there any particular reason you're out today?" He asks politely. "I haven't seen you since that meeting!"

"There is. I was looking to speak with _you_." Her friend perks up at these words. "Would you happen to know where the old sewing shop is?"

"The old sewing shop, you say?" He repeats, placing a finger to his bark in his thought. "That's all the way in the Residential Hill. I haven't been there in so many years!"

"Would you like to come with me, then? I was going to look there for some sewing supplies. The Witches told me there might be some there, and I've been in desperate need for some time now..."

"Ah...they might be right. No one has checked in there for a very long time."

"That's why I wanted to ask. You know more about sewing than me, so I assume you've visited there, and you're familiar with the place..."

"Of course! I remember when I used to knit a lot back in those times. Maybe I can find some stuff for myself while I'm there. I've been at a loss of supplies like you have."

The skeletons on his branch have been absorbing their conversation intently. They hadn't interfered out of politeness, but as soon as silence settles in for a few moments, one of the skeletons decides to pry.

"Miss Sally, I must say that I'm surprised you didn't ask Jack to come with you." They comment. "I'm sure he would have been more than happy to accompany you."

She bites her lopsided lip. "Well, yes, but he seems so busy nowadays...I didn't want to interrupt his work."

The Hanging Tree laughs. "If I know anything about Jack, I'm sure he's prioritized you plenty already."

Her blue cheeks turn a little pink at his words. She feels foolish for not asking him to come. But she still has someone assist her, and that's all she really wanted from the start. Jack sounded concerned about it last night, and seeing how he acted just before she left...she'll be sure to be more than careful, if this is truly concerning to him.

The Hanging Tree begins to head in a direction and motions Sally to follow.

"We can start heading there now, if you'd like. I wasn't doing anything terribly important. And the walk shouldn't be too long - we'll be there before you know it."

She nods enthusiastically, looking forward to their trip. They pass the time by speaking more with each other, talking about how their knitting and sewing has been going. The skeletons listen to their conversations and even join in on a few. Sally can't begin to describe how peaceful it feels to talk with someone like this. She enjoys her time with her friend, and almost forgets about the sewing shop until they finally arrive.

* * *

"This is it!"

The ragdoll blinks twice as they approach a strange building. It stands out like a sore claw compared to the dark, occupied structures back in town. This one stands completely alone in its place - no neighboring buildings in its proximity. It is clearly built out of wood, most of which is now long rotten and looks to be nearly falling apart. The Witches' description was fairly accurate for what she is looking at now.

The Hanging Tree steps forward and she follows him. She notices the details the closer they get. The sign hanging just before the entrance is cracked and barely hanging on its hooks. The words that were once printed on it have been stained by the sun and are no longer legible. The windows on the side of the building are currently boarded up, as the glass has been broken. The roof creaks every time a gust of wind passes by, making her wonder if it would cave in at any second.

Her friend stops as they reach the door. Its paint is worn and a sign that reads: **_'DO NOT ENTER'_** is placed right in the middle. She reaches for the key in her dress pocket and slowly takes it in her hands. She hadn't noticed there was a small skull on it; one that looks to resemble Jack's.

She observes the building again. It stands firmly where it is, and the sign creaks when the wind comes around.

"Something about this place makes me weary..."

"With what went on here, I can't blame you. But that happened such a long time ago. There's nothing to worry about now."

"You're right." Her fingers glide down to the key in her hand._ 'And yet...'_

The Hanging Tree glances at the sky and notices the dark clouds. Rain can be coming any second now. He looks back at Sally and finds her still staring at the building. He can't allow the Pumpkin King's girlfriend to get soaked under his watch! He steps behind her and motions her forward uneasily, glancing at the clouds that are coming in by the second.

"We might have to get going before it starts pouring..."

She notices what he is talking about and nods right away. They come to the door and she slips the skeleton key in with ease. The lock unlatches as she turns the key. The door slowly creaks open. To her surprise, the inside still seems to have power, as the moment she flicks the lights on, the hanging lanterns inside light up.

As the two head in, the floor beneath them groans at their weight and the door hastily shuts behind them. Sally jumps in alarm and bumps into one of the skeletons by accident.

"Are you alright?" They ask, holding her shoulders steady. She nods several times to assure them she is.

"Oh, yes, just a little..._spooked_, is all..."

The tree laughs. "Fantastic!"

The lanterns shine brighter as they're now in the room. She takes a good look at their surroundings. Things are deadly quiet otherwise, beyond the sound of the wind hitting the sign outside.

It is a large room they're in, filled with shelves that hold many fabrics. There are several sewing machines placed on the desks that litter around the room, as well as an unlit fireplace that sits in the back. There looks to be some sort of pantry to their far right, though she has yet to see what is in it.

All of these things are filled with cobwebs and dust. The fabrics look like they've been untouched for the longest time. The walls themselves are worn down, as the wallpaper seems to be peeling. Nearly all of the pictures hanging on the walls have several tears or scratches in them. As if someone has deliberately made them.

"Where do you think she kept the bodies?" One of the skeletons asks. They seem to be talking with the others on their branch. Sally can't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Why would you even ask that? It's such a morbid topic."

"Which is what we **love** to talk about, isn't it?"

"Maybe the fabrics _are_ the children..! Their skin, or their-"

"Don't say such things in Sally's presence!" Another skeleton scolds. "You might scare her."

"We're curious, that's all."

Their tree hushes them down, and they grow quiet. He returns to her side and frowns. "I'm sorry for my skeletons' behavior...they get so talkative with new things!"

"It's fine. I'm...sort of wondering the same thing..." She mumbles.

His frown deepens as he looks around. He decides not to touch upon such a subject and starts wandering around the room. She follows closely behind, rubbing her arms continuously. It's growing colder the longer they're in here, what with the gaps through the exposed windows and all. Since the fireplace is unlit, there is nothing currently keeping them warm in the meantime.

"It seems like all the fabrics are still in good condition," He comments, touching them and trying not to rip any with his sharp fingers. "Although, the dust would have to be cleaned off..."

"Do you think the sewing machines still work?"

"I wouldn't doubt it."

This springs some hope in Sally. She follows him as they look into the pantry across the room. This one has many drawers, all filled with sewing supplies that must have been kept as spares at one point. The relief on her face is substantial. She takes a look at what is inside and gathers what she needs. The Hanging Tree looks for himself and hums in delight when he finds the knitting needles tucked away in one drawer.

After they finish collecting what they desire, a thunderous boom sounds from outside. She yelps in surprise and instinctively reaches for one of the skeletons again, who holds her hands to calm her down. Rain begins to pour down from the sky. The two take one glance out of the door as the weather begins to pick up.

"Oh, no...I wanted to return to the Manor before it started raining..." She sighs.

"That's alright; we can stay here until it eases down."

Her breath starts to show in the air. "But it's getting so c-cold..."

The Hanging Tree says nothing as he glances at the unused fireplace in the back of the room. He walks over to it and notices the stacks of wood and twigs still placed inside, completely untouched. He goes through the trouble of finding some sort of igniter and lighting a small fire. As soon as the flames start and the wood catches, he motions for Sally to sit beside him.

She obeys and rests her basket by her side, watching the wood burn. She fidgets with her hands as they start to warm. They listen to the rain pour from outside. She finds some sort of calmness to it. It would be much better if she was at Jack's side right now, holding his hand as they rest by his hearth - in the safety and comfort of their own home, rather than an abandoned sewing shop...

"It isn't odd watching wood burn for you, is it...?" She asks.

"Not at all. I know not all trees are sentient like I am. Sometimes I burn my own sticks, and it doesn't hurt very much."

"Hm." She clutches her knees closer to her chest. "Hanging Tree, what do you know about this old seamstress..? I assume you've talked with her before, if you've been knitting for a long time."

"Back then, I talked to her whenever I came around to knit or use something of hers. She had quite the business going on back in the day - everyone loved her work! It was special enough to get our King's attention, and have her as his personal tailor. Even I liked what she made.

"Was she kind?"

"We all believed she was a nice lady who was incredibly talented in her field. But after learning what she did...I think that's when she showed who she actually was."

The Hanging Tree leans back and looks at the ceiling, seeming to recall something in bright detail.

"You see, she had a habit of disguising herself. The seamstress we knew was different from how she _actually_ looked like. She was some sort of spider with button eyes...who usually had porcelain skin, but it cracked after awhile. She looked _horrifying_! We would have kept her around for the scares and chills had she not ..._well_..."

Sally glances at the torn pictures and frames on the wall. "-Do you think she did _that_?"

"Most certainly. She had fingers like needles - sharper than my own!" He laughs. "If you ask me, she reminded me a lot of Jack. He can do things very similar to what she did. She never participated in Halloween, but I imagine she would've had quite an impressive competition with him!"

"She sounds..._scary_..."

"Yes, but she's been gone for a long time. I doubt she has any intentions on returning here. I'm sure Jack would be upset if she ever tried. We have nothing to worry about under his protection."

The fire pops and cracks loudly. They stare at it for awhile in silence, the rain still going in the background. She wonders how long this will go on. Talking about Jack only makes her long for him more. To be in his warm arms at this moment, far away from the place where this awful woman resided. She shivers a little and her friend observes her quietly.

"You know, Sally, I think you would do a great job as a seamstress yourself." He says. She blinks in surprise at the suggestion.

"Me...a _seamstress_?" He nods with a sharp smile. "What makes you say that?"

"I've seen what you made and how often you practice. You're very talented! Not to mention, we've been needing someone with your expertise for a long time. Everyone I know has either holes or tears in their clothes."

"Wouldn't that be a _good_ thing, for Halloween?"

"Yes, but for every other day of the year, I imagine it's quite a hassle! All I'm saying is that...I think you would make a good one. You're more kind than she ever was, and I know for a fact that everyone here would support you."

"Where would I even start...?" She shakes her head. "I have nowhere to do such a thing, nor do I have the means to. All I have are-"

"-You have **_Jack_**."

She pauses. He continues:

"He can make things easy for you. You should bring it up to him sometime and ask if it's possible. I'm certain it is." He bows his body forward. "It will also give you something to do, and I think you deserve to be paid for your efforts. It'll bring in many opportunities for you."

She smiles and looks at the floor. The idea makes her excited...but she gets shy thinking of bringing it up to her beloved. Is she even in the _position_ to ask for something so big? She doesn't deserve such a thing...but sewing is such a passion of hers. She can't help but imagine herself owning a shop of her own - providing her services to her friends and the rest of Halloween Town...

* * *

Jack Skellington taps the side of his skull as he searches through the drawers in the Town Hall.

He's been doing this awhile now, in search for something in particular. But what he is looking for is old, and was likely organized a long time ago. Something they haven't bothered to touch in years. He hums as he slams another drawer shut with no success. He then goes to another filing cabinet, skimming through the papers and folders quickly.

"Have you found it yet?" The Mayor asks from behind him, his worried eyes following the skeleton around the room. He pauses to address the question, closing this drawer shut as well.

"No. Which is a peculiar thing..."

"Maybe it got mixed up? Check the propositions."

He follows his colleague's advice and moves to another area entirely, desperately searching through the stacks of paperwork. The shorter man decides to help him and begins looking for himself, going at a much slower pace compared to the skeleton's quick movements. They keep this up for awhile until Jack suddenly stops in his tracks. He holds one singular paper up with a grin plastered on his skull.

"Found it!" He exclaims.

"Perfect!" The Mayor's face changes and comes to his side. "How old is it?"

"It was filed about 8 years ago. Was this really the last time we talked about the sewing shop?"

"I'm afraid so...it must have slipped our minds, with all the other things we've been doing..."

The skeleton clears off the desk in the room and places the paper on it. He leans over and quietly reads through what has been written down. The Mayor joins him and observes the page intently. There is a moment of silence as they absorb the information. The Mayor is the first to speak.

"Well? What should we do?"

He frowns. "If we want to do anything with it, it's going to need demolished and then a complete refurbishment. That wood can't be reliable - its structure is bound to come down anytime."

"Do we have enough funding for that? Last Halloween was a little costly..."

"Check our finances, would you?"

He nods before leaving into another room. Jack continues to look at the paper in his absence. He wants nothing more but to do _something_ with this old building. He can't have it rotting in town while being completely unusable. He's relieved Sally brought this up in the first place...the last thing he wants is for it to come down and someone to get seriously hurt by the mess.

The Mayor returns in the room, holding a few papers in his hands. "We have _just_ enough if we decide to cut down on the blood this year. We can't afford more canisters for the Vampire Brothers if we hope to get something done."

"Alright. That's a price I'm willing to pay." Jack briefly looks over what he brought. "What do you suggest?"

"Maybe a new restaurant?"

"I don't think it would do well. The one we have never gets crowded as it is." He taps his jaw in thought. "A blood bank, perhaps?"

"I think the vampires manage that kind of thing well on their own..."

"..."

His faces switch in despair. "I tell you, we can NEVER think of something good enough as a replacement! Something that won't lose money, and what we really need..."

"Maybe we don't need to change it into something **_different _**at all...Maybe, it can _still_ be a sewing shop?"

"But with what tailor? Or seamstress?"

"Well, I've been thinking about it, and...Sally likes to sew. Why not have _her_ run the place?"

"Jack, that's genius! Oh, what a horrible, awful idea!" He claps his hands in excitement. "You're telling me she agreed to it already?"

"Oh, no. I, well, haven't brought it up yet. It's just...something I thought about last night." He rubs the back of his skull in shame.

"Well, then, ask her as soon as possible so the ownership can go under her name! I've heard what she can do, and I have no doubts she'd do a fine job."

The Pumpkin King doesn't respond right away. He's still staring at the paper, holding his hand to his lips in thought. He does this for a long time as his colleague stands there waiting for his confirmation. After awhile, he slowly brings his gaze from the paper over to his friend. He looks to have a smile on his face.

"Actually, we can go ahead and put it under my name. We can start with construction right away...I'll make it a sort of surprise for her.

"Really? But you two haven't even talked about it - are you sure she wants to do this?"

"She's been making all sorts of dresses and clothes these past few weeks. I can tell she's going to run out of room soon. She needs a better outlet to express this in rather than a room."

He goes to pick up the paper again, thinking further on this. "-I won't make the decision _for_ her, but I think this is something that she's always wanted..."

_'She once told me she wanted my approval on what she made. What if she had the rest of the Town's, too? I'm certain it would make her happy.'_

"Alright. Let's start putting your name on the project and planning this out. We'll hire the Behemoth...he provides labor without much pay, thank Halloween!"

Jack follows him and happens to glance outside of a nearby window. He notices the sky is now filled with dark clouds. He can hear the raindrops hitting the roof and smiles to himself. This type of weather always excites him. He can hear thunder brewing far away and notices a few cracks of lightning in the sky. Then he remembers that Sally is out right now, and momentarily stops in his tracks as he feels worry begin to consume his thoughts.

_'She's still out there...Maybe she noticed the weather and headed home. I'm sure she's being careful.'_

* * *

The Hanging Tree and Sally are having a lovely time talking to each other. They further discuss the idea of her being a seamstress, and eventually, she caves in. She confesses it was something she'd thought of before, and was even close to suggesting it to Jack the other night. She further talks about her insecurities that come with the idea - which her friend does a wonderful job with comforting her about.

It is in the middle of their conversation when they hear another boom come from outside. The wood begins to creak as the wind picks up. This is when they finally notice the storm coming, and quickly decide to take their leave now in an attempt to get home.

The air is chilly. Sally clutches onto her sides as she moves closer to the front door. It's a wise decision to leave now. The longer they stay in here, the building may not hold for very long. She doubts the wood is still sturdy after all this time. She can't ignore how anxious the wind outside makes her, with how violent it's becoming by the second...

_"D-do you th-think we'll ma-make it?"_ She manages through chattering teeth.

Her friend seems hopeful. "As long as we hurry, I'm sure we'll beat the storm in time."

They listen to the loud creaking and groaning of the wood around them. It makes her more worried by the minute. She shivers and reaches for her friend as they approach the door. He holds her to try and keep her warm. The contact is assuring, but his bark feels like ice. He gets the message and smiles as an apology, then opens the door and allows them to leave.

His skeletons start to thrash when the wind hits them, swinging by the ropes on their neck. Sally feels sorry for them. Her hair starts to get carelessly tossed around. The tree shuts the door behind them and she uses the key to lock it. She's holding tightly onto her basket - not wanting her things to be taken by the wind.

"Here, I'll help you get home." He offers.

He quickly yet carefully guides Sally back to the Pumpkin King's Manor. Since she didn't wear anything over her dress that morning, the rain happens to soak her figure the longer they're out there. They get there as fast as they can, finding the gates to the mansion opening and closing with the wind. The Hanging Tree bids her goodbye with a last smile on his face. She understands the message behind it - remembering what she has to ask from her skeleton man, and that it should be done soon.

* * *

Sally returns home dripping wet from head-to-tie by the time she walks through the doors of the Skellington Manor. She feels cold as she shuts the door behind her and sets down her basket. She feels guilty for walking in while her entire figure is soaked in rainwater. She hopes Jack isn't home for a second, so he doesn't have to see her like this, getting his floors all wet-

_"Sally? Are you home, my dear?"_

She freezes in her spot as his voice comes from up the stairs. She finds him climbing down rather eagerly, but the moment he sees her, his expression instantly turns to worry. He practically runs over and looks at her drenched figure. His eye sockets widen in disbelief. She holds her head low, an unpleasant feeling now settling in her stomach.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"You're all wet..! Oh, if only I had given you something to cover yourself with - this simply can't do! I'm so sorry, Sally. Here, let's get you in front of the fire."

She's taken by surprise as he leads her into the den and towards the hearth. There is already a decently-sized fire inside, the flames dancing around as the logs have long caught. He carefully sits her down in front of it and joins her side right away. This one is much warmer compared to the last. The skeleton takes a rag and begins to dab at her face, getting the excess water that is dripping from her cheeks and hoping to dry whatever he can.

Zero barks in delight when he finds them down there, flying above their heads in excitement. But when he notices Sally is shivering and completely damp, he whines and floats down to her side. He receives a couple of pats to the head. She scoots closer to Jack, wishing to share whatever body heat he had at that moment. He allows her to rest at his side, ignoring this part of his undershirt moistening at the contact.

_"I'm s-sorry I didn't come ba-ack sooner. We th-thought the rain wo-uuld pass...That's w-why we were wait-waiting."_ Her tone carries guilt through the chattering of her teeth. He has a sympathetic look on his face.

"How _could_ you have known? Nothing is your fault at all. I simply need to help you get dry..."

He tries to hide how anxious his words are. He returned home right after he and the Mayor finished starting their new project. The first thing he did was kindle a fire to warm the cold mansion. He was surprised, however, to find the Skellington Manor completely empty, apart from his ghostly dog. He believed Sally would've been there waiting for him...only to realize that she wasn't.

He was so worried in that moment - that something had happened to her, or the storm must've caught her. He was just preparing to leave and search for her until she happened to come in right through his front doors. To find her standing there, shivering, covered entirely in water...it brought immense anxiety to his bones. He's never felt so concerned before.

He sets down the rag and goes through the trouble of wrapping his arms around her from behind. He rests his large hands in her lap. She lays her small ones over his shortly afterwards. They enjoy their contact and continue to sit there, enjoying the warmth from the fire. When he brings his hand over her arm, he finds that she's finally starting to dry.

"You had me so worried," He confesses. "I'm sure I overreacted this morning - but to find you here, cold to the touch and _drenched_, I-"

"We tried to get here as fast as we could...it was pouring outside, and-"

"It's my fault. I should have seen this coming. Ever since you brought this up to me last night, I...I've just been feeling peculiar..."

"Peculiar..?"

He massages her hands in thought. "I always get this feeling before a storm...it's this tingling sensation on my spine. I felt it again this morning, before you left. I thought I was just nervous. If only I had read my instincts better...I could've given you my jacket, or an umbrella, or-"

"Wait. You can tell when a storm is coming?"

"I think many of us can. It's common around here." He rests his skull atop her head. "We love this weather. But this is the first time I've ever felt an unpleasant prickling. I think it's because I knew _you_ were out there, still."

She nestles in her lover's embrace. She gets butterflies in her stomach hearing him so worried.

"I'm alright; it's nothing to be worried about. I get this wet whenever I take a bath."

"Yes, but, still...I don't want you catching a cold." He isn't even sure if Sally can fall to any ailments, but he still feels worried. "And knowing I could've prevented this from the start-"

"Oh, Jack...I don't like it when you blame yourself like this. Really. I'm fine. I'm here now, aren't I?"

He sighs deeply. "That you are..."

His grip on her tightens. Hearing that last sentence fills him with relief. She is here now. Instead of being outside, where it is far too dangerous and cold...she's safely tucked in his arms at this second. He feels his bones stop swelling as he rests his skull on her hair. She is only a little damp at this point. He feels satisfied with this progress.

After a few minutes, he realizes he hasn't asked about her trip yet.

"Did you find anything, by the way?"

"We did. There were drawers filled with spare needles, thread, thimbles...everything I could've asked for."

He smiles. She sounds so excited. The trip must have been worth it to make. "-You didn't find anything out of the ordinary, did you?"

Her hands inch their way along his arm as she thinks of a response. Quietly, she tells him, "It was a little creepy. I didn't want to stay a minute longer."

"You shouldn't have to. You got what you wanted." He motions to her basket sitting by the front door. "I guess this means your sewing should get much better?"

"I'm excited. Really, I am." Her fingers dig into the fabric of his sleeve. "Thank you for letting me go."

"Of course, darling. I would do anything to make you happy."

He moves her yarn hair to kiss her forehead. She feels tingly as she sits there, grabbing at his him and smiling. She feels antsy all of a sudden...wanting to blurt out what's on her mind. Ask him for what she wants so dearly, right then and there...but then she gets that twinge of nervousness in her leaves that stops her. She rests in his lap instead and entwines her fingers with his, enjoying their now-dry embrace.

She doesn't notice how fidgety Jack is as well. He repeatedly runs his hand through her hair and twirls the ends of her strands in his fingers. He wants to break the news to her already - of what he plans to accomplish for her; to spoil the surprise early, just to see the bright smile on her face. But he has to ignore these impulses, figuring it will all come in due time.

They hold each other while resting by the fire for the rest of the night, both of them as restless as the other.


End file.
